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: nail · wound · rest · can · season · rock · fork · temple

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. rock — music
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. season — of the year
  5. wound — an injury
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wound — an injury
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rest — what's left
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rest — a break
  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