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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. game — a match
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bear — the animal
  8. root — the cause
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — of a plant
  16. chair — a leader
  17. root — of a word
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bulb — for light
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bear — 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