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: tear · temple · ground · object · roll · dip · bulb · arm

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ground — crushed
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. tear — to rip
  5. tear — from crying
  6. object — an aim
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. roll — a cake
  10. object — to protest
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ground — the earth
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — for light
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. roll — a list
  20. dip — to sink
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ground — a position
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — a thing

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