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 · wound · wake · club · bark · scale · bay · ruler

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bark — to shout
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. club — a group
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wake — a trail
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. scale — in music
  21. club — for golf
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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