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: temple · suit · field · foot · prune · perch · cold · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. field — a subject
  4. foot — a measure
  5. prune — to trim
  6. perch — the fish
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cold — not warm
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. suit — clothes
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. field — for sport
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. field — farmland
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cold — an illness
  24. temple — a place of worship

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