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: pop · branch · temple · fall · degree · key · object · ball

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. fall — the season
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. ball — a great time
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — soda
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — an aim
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. fall — to drop
  16. key — for a lock
  17. object — to protest
  18. degree — an amount
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. ball — a dance
  22. branch — a division
  23. degree — from a university
  24. fall — to drop

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