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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rock — music
  8. vault — a safe
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. bat — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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