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: key · bear · sharp · present · temple · kid · bowl · row

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. present — the time now
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. present — there
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bear — the animal
  10. sharp — clever
  11. key — the most important part
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. row — a line
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. key — in music
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. present — a gift
  21. kid — to tease
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bear — the animal
  24. key — for a lock

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