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: bore · bank · pitcher · file · bay · rock · temple · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. file — a line of people
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bore — to drill
  18. file — a document
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. file — a tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bore — to tire

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