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: mine · bay · shower · temple · bank · face · sharp · saw

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. face — to confront
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bank — for money
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bank — of a river
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. face — part of the head
  23. saw — the tool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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