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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. field — for sport
  3. bulb — for light
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. last — final
  11. bulb — for light
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. field — farmland
  15. kick — in football
  16. suit — clothes
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. ball — a great time
  20. suit — to fit
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. ball — a dance
  23. field — a subject
  24. bulb — of a plant

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