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 120 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: spring · mark · field · current · snap · lie · scale · temple

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — electric
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. current — of water
  8. mark — a grade
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. spring — of water
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. scale — size or range
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. scale — in music
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. spring — the season
  21. mark — a trace
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spring — a coil

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