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 · craft · chest · march · roll · temple · lie · rush

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chest — of your body
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — hurry
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chest — a box
  20. craft — boats
  21. roll — a list
  22. march — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. temple — side of the head

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