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: content · stick · temple · racket · bulb · club · last · object

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. club — a group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. last — finally
  7. object — to protest
  8. last — final
  9. content — the amount
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — for light
  13. club — for golf
  14. content — happy
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. last — to go on
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. object — a thing
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — an aim
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for dancing

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