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 · rash · court · firm · ground · saw · face · bass

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. face — to point toward
  3. court — for sport
  4. face — to confront
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. firm — decided
  11. face — part of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. firm — a company
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bass — the fish
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. rash — a series
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — steady
  22. ground — the earth
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bass — the instrument

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