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: clip · temple · hide · rash · mug · hand · pitcher · cabinet

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rash — a series
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. clip — to cut
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rash — hasty
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hand — help
  19. clip — a video
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. clip — for paper
  22. mug — a face
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. mug — a cup

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