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 · wound · calf · jam · rush · racket · coach · temple

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — hurry
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. racket — for tennis

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