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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — final
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — the animal
  15. last — finally
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bear — to put up with

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