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 120 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 · foot · spring · temple · deal · straw · band · fan

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. spring — the season
  3. bulb — for light
  4. deal — to handle
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. spring — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. band — a ring
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bulb — for light
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. deal — a big deal

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