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: temple · scale · wake · wave · snap · date · fan · present

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. date — the fruit
  6. scale — size or range
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. present — there
  9. snap — to click
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wake — a trail
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. present — a gift
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. scale — in music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. date — on the calendar

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