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: temple · bulb · chair · lash · leaves · pitcher · charge · rest

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bulb — for light
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — what's left
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. charge — in control
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. charge — a price
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rest — a break
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rest — what's left
  24. chair — a professorship

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