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: saw · kick · temple · fall · pass · row · face · drill

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pass — a permit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. drill — army training
  10. face — part of the head
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. fall — to drop
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. drill — the tool
  15. face — to point toward
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fall — to drop
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fall — the season
  21. kick — in football
  22. drill — a practice
  23. row — a line
  24. face — to confront

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