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 120 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: dip · cabinet · lie · calf · degree · temple · squash · rest

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. degree — from a university
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rest — a break
  6. squash — the sport
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — an amount
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rest — what's left
  12. squash — to crush
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rest — what's left
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. degree — temperature
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. temple — side of the head

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