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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. field — farmland
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mate — a friend
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. field — a subject
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. field — for sport
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitcher — a jug

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