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: deal · face · temple · rash · roll · vault · club · field

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. face — to confront
  3. roll — a list
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — a subject
  11. rash — a series
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. deal — to handle
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rash — hasty
  22. face — to point toward
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. club — for dancing

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