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: tear · arm · spell · perch · fine · vault · temple · rest

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  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. fine — a penalty
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tear — to rip
  8. rest — a break
  9. vault — a safe
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fine — all right
  19. spell — letters
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fine — high quality
  23. arm — part of the body
  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