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: lean · degree · straw · pass · calf · wound · firm · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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 — an injury
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. degree — an amount
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lean — thin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. degree — from a university
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. degree — temperature
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wound — an injury

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