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: patient · bowl · scale · temple · ground · pitcher · trunk · bulb

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. ground — the earth
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. scale — in music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ground — crushed
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ground — a position
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. pitcher — a jug

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