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: hide · scale · cold · temple · suit · fork · sharp · squash

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fork — in a road
  3. suit — in cards
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cold — an illness
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. cold — not warm
  19. scale — size or range
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. scale — in music
  22. sharp — clever
  23. squash — to crush
  24. sharp — with an edge

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