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: bulb · key · bowl · board · trunk · patient · temple · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. key — for a lock
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. board — to get on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. board — a committee
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. key — in music
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. field — for sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. field — a subject
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. trunk — of a car

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