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: deal · board · land · temple · suit · perch · tear · fine

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. tear — from crying
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tear — to rip
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — clothes
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fine — all right
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. land — ground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — the fish
  20. board — to get on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. land — to come down
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. tear — from crying

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