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: content · spell · temple · cap · arm · shower · row · coach

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. shower — rain
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — magic
  5. row — to paddle
  6. shower — to wash
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. row — a line
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. content — the amount
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. content — happy
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. cap — a hat
  24. temple — a place of worship

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