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: fork · sharp · temple · press · lash · scale · bay · chip

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chip — to eat
  4. fork — in a road
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. press — newspapers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. scale — size or range
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — in music
  20. press — to push
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. press — a publisher

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