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: wound · bulb · staff · arm · last · temple · bound · bank

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bound — tied together
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bank — for money
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bank — of a river
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — final
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wound — an injury
  19. staff — employees
  20. bank — for money
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wound — an injury

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