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: last · snap · temple · lie · leaves · mark · ball · current

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. snap — to click
  3. lie — to recline
  4. last — finally
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. last — final
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — happening now
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ball — a dance
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. last — to go on
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. ball — a round shape

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