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: content · drill · can · temple · date · bat · calf · bank

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. can — a tin
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — happy
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bat — the animal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — army training
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. date — the fruit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bank — of a river
  24. drill — a practice

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