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: bank · lie · bound · wake · sharp · scale · temple · row

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bank — for money
  6. wake — a trail
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bound — obliged
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bound — certain
  15. lie — to recline
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — tied together
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. sharp — with an edge

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