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: bark · current · kid · game · safe · temple · pop · march

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — to shout
  6. pop — soda
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. current — happening now
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. game — a match
  12. current — electric
  13. kid — to tease
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. current — of water
  17. march — the month
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. march — the month
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pop — music
  22. kid — child
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. march — music

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