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: temple · content · fan · land · perch · bay · hide · chair

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. land — to come down
  3. content — the amount
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. land — a country
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — ground
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. perch — the fish
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. content — happy
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chair — a leader
  24. perch — for a bird

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