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: swing · field · toast · perch · lash · safe · shower · temple

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. toast — bread
  7. swing — in golf
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. field — farmland
  11. perch — the fish
  12. swing — music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. field — a subject
  17. shower — to wash
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. field — for sport
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — rain

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