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 · pit · coach · wave · jam · foot · degree · tube

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. degree — an amount
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pit — in a race
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. tube — a container
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pit — a hole
  16. degree — from a university
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. tube — the underground
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. degree — temperature
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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