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 · prune · bore · roll · rush · temple · content · jam

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. roll — a cake
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. content — the amount
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. prune — to trim
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — to trim
  20. roll — a list
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. content — happy
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bulb — for light

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