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 · pound · kick · coach · mine · key · pitcher · ruler

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. key — in music
  4. mine — for digging
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. kick — in football
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pound — a weight
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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