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: scale · bulb · row · temple · roll · calf · content · racket

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. content — the amount
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. roll — a list
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. scale — in music
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. content — happy
  16. bulb — for light
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. row — to paddle
  24. roll — a cake

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