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: roll · cue · capital · fan · lie · rock · temple · prune

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. capital — money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — a city
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rock — music
  11. roll — a list
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — a stone
  20. prune — to trim
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. roll — a cake
  23. lie — to recline
  24. temple — side of the head

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