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: temple · rest · wave · bulb · sharp · wax · pitch · file

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. file — a document
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rest — a break
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rest — what's left
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. file — a tool

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