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 · bear · sharp · degree · bank · board · mate · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bank — for money
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a friend
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. mate — a partner
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. board — to get on
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. degree — temperature
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. board — a committee

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