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: nail · temple · bay · tube · bulb · march · last · roll

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — final
  5. roll — a list
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tube — a container
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. last — finally
  12. last — to go on
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. march — music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. temple — side of the head

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