ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · court · temple · wake · march · lie · rest · arm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rest — what's left
  3. craft — a skill
  4. court — for sport
  5. wake — a trail
  6. march — the month
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. march — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. craft — boats
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. march — the month
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. court — of a king
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. court — of law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com