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: ground · temple · net · object · press · bulb · stand · foot

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. press — to push
  6. press — a publisher
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stand — to bear
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. object — to protest
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. net — after costs
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — a thing
  16. foot — a measure
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. object — an aim
  24. ground — a position

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