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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · ground · cell · suit · fan · temple · straw · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. ground — a position
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cell — in biology
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. suit — to fit
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fine — high quality
  21. ground — the earth
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fan — to cool the air

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