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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — for light
  9. clip — a video
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. firm — steady
  12. wake — a trail
  13. hand — in cards
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. clip — to cut
  20. hand — help
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. clip — for paper
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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