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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — the animal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. kid — to tease
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bat — the animal

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