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: mark · saw · bat · temple · rule · bass · bound · kick

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. kick — in football
  6. mark — a grade
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rule — a law
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. bound — certain
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rule — government
  18. bound — obliged
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bound — tied together

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