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: court · safe · kick · land · dip · rock · current · temple

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. court — for sport
  3. kick — in football
  4. rock — a stone
  5. court — of law
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. current — electric
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — happening now
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — to sink
  12. land — to come down
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. current — of water
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. land — ground
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. rock — music
  21. court — of a king
  22. land — a country
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rock — to move gently

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