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 · rock · rush · fan · temple · sharp · arm · fine

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fine — all right
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fan — to cool the air

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