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: prune · temple · row · wave · current · march · pit · nail

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. current — happening now
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. current — electric
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. march — music
  8. current — of water
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. prune — to trim
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. march — the month
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pit — in a race
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. row — a line
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. nail — for a hammer

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