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: temple · pound · bass · cue · toast · race · trunk · vault

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. toast — bread
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bass — low music
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. cue — for pool
  11. race — humankind
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pound — a weight
  15. race — a contest
  16. cue — a signal
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bass — the fish
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pound — to hit hard

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