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 · current · nail · wound · ball · pop · temple · bark

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a dance
  3. current — happening now
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bulb — for light
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pop — soda
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wound — an injury
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. current — of water
  24. bark — of a tree

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