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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. snap — to click
  6. plane — a tool
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bass — the fish
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. capital — money
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. capital — a city
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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