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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. spring — the season
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. roll — a cake
  13. spring — of water
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — a permit
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spring — a coil
  24. roll — on a roll

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