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 120 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: cap · spell · temple · pound · deal · ball · calf · racket

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pound — a weight
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. deal — to handle
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. spell — letters
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a dance
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — an agreement
  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