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: branch · rock · temple · content · last · firm · face · chair

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. firm — steady
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. last — to go on
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — to confront
  8. last — final
  9. face — part of the head
  10. last — finally
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. content — happy
  14. chair — a leader
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. content — the amount
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. temple — side of the head

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