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: last · bat · temple · jam · mug · kick · mate · bulb

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. last — to go on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. mug — to rob
  12. last — finally
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mug — a face
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. kick — in football
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. last — final
  24. temple — a place of worship

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