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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. kid — child
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — a path
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — a song
  10. lean — thin
  11. capital — a city
  12. lean — to bend
  13. root — of a word
  14. capital — money
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. root — of a plant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. root — the cause
  21. track — to keep track
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. kid — to tease
  24. capital — a big letter

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