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 · fine · shower · bore · trunk · cell · march · temple

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bore — to tire
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. cell — a phone
  9. march — the month
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — to drill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. key — for a lock
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. key — in music
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. march — music
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. shower — to wash

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