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: rash · perch · trunk · mate · temple · wave · ground · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. ground — the earth
  4. perch — the fish
  5. ground — crushed
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mate — to breed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — hasty
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chest — of your body
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mate — a friend
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. mate — a partner
  19. chest — of your body
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ground — a position
  24. wave — with your hand

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