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: wound · club · dip · temple · arm · can · spell · scale

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — letters
  5. can — a tin
  6. wound — an injury
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. club — for dancing
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — size or range
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — a place of worship

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