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 120 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: safe · temple · file · lie · board · rest · bat · scale

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. board — to get on
  4. scale — size or range
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. file — a line of people
  8. file — a document
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rest — a break
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. scale — in music
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bat — the animal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. board — a committee
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. file — a tool

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