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: bound · wound · bulb · temple · track · club · wake · tube

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. track — a path
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. club — a group
  7. wound — an injury
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bulb — for light
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tube — a container
  14. bound — tied together
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bound — certain
  19. wake — a trail
  20. club — for golf
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — the underground
  23. track — a song
  24. bound — obliged

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