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: field · bound · temple · staff · lean · sharp · spell · arm

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  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. sharp — exactly
  2. spell — magic
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bound — certain
  5. field — for sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bound — tied together
  9. staff — employees
  10. bound — obliged
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lean — thin
  15. spell — letters
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. sharp — clever
  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