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: scale · temple · object · charge · chest · branch · arm · lie

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lie — to recline
  3. scale — in music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. object — a thing
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. chest — of your body
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. object — to protest
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. branch — a division
  18. scale — size or range
  19. object — an aim
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — a price
  23. chest — a box
  24. charge — electricity

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