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 · march · temple · prune · cabinet · sharp · face · drill

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bulb — for light
  6. drill — a practice
  7. face — to point toward
  8. prune — to trim
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. sharp — clever
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. drill — army training
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. march — the month
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. march — music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — with an edge

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