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: lean · shower · band · board · snap · foot · fork · temple

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. lean — thin
  7. snap — to click
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fork — in a road
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a music group
  14. lean — to bend
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. board — to get on
  18. foot — a measure
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. board — a committee
  24. foot — part of the body

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