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: date · temple · hand · fork · jam · row · saw · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. row — a line
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fork — in a road
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hand — help
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. row — to paddle
  19. saw — the tool
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. hand — in cards
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. row — a quarrel

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