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: leaves · bore · bulb · lie · race · date · temple · bark

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bark — to shout
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. race — a contest
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bulb — for light
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to drill
  21. race — humankind
  22. date — the fruit
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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