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: bat · stand · trunk · coach · object · temple · bulb · cap

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cap — a lid
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — a hat
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — an aim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cap — of ice
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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