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: temple · bank · nail · patient · stock · fall · degree · snap

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — shares
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. snap — to click
  11. fall — the season
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stock — goods
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bank — of a river
  18. degree — an amount
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. degree — temperature
  21. degree — from a university
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stock — a soup base

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