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 · ground · sharp · kick · leaves · court · coach · bore

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of law
  3. bore — to drill
  4. ground — crushed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ground — a position
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. ground — the earth
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bore — to tire
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. court — for sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. court — of a king
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — clever

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