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: bore · club · staff · bowl · fork · temple · lean · rest

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rest — a break
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rest — what's left
  5. club — for dancing
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. staff — employees
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rest — what's left
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. club — for golf
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. staff — employees
  23. club — a group
  24. temple — side of the head

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