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 120 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: net · temple · march · mate · dip · game · mine · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. game — a match
  4. net — for catching
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. net — after costs
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. march — music
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. march — the month
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. net — in sport
  17. mate — a friend
  18. dip — to sink
  19. march — the month
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mine — for digging

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