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: stick · rash · charge · face · temple · pit · arm · wound

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — in control
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pit — a hole
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — to confront
  16. rash — a series
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wound — an injury
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pit — in a race
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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