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: pit · game · can · temple · fine · march · straw · foot

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. march — the month
  4. foot — a measure
  5. march — music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. march — the month
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. can — a tin
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. game — a match
  19. pit — a hole
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fine — high quality
  24. game — wild animals

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