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: branch · straw · temple · bore · toast · band · bat · vault

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. bore — to tire
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. bat — the animal
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. band — a ring
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. band — a music group
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. vault — a safe
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bore — to drill
  23. toast — bread
  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