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: file · pop · date · field · scale · game · ball · temple

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. game — a match
  3. file — a document
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. field — farmland
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. field — a subject
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. scale — in music
  16. field — for sport
  17. pop — music
  18. ball — a great time
  19. date — the fruit
  20. pop — soda
  21. game — wild animals
  22. scale — size or range
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. temple — a place of worship

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