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: prune · mate · cue · bulb · temple · bound · fall · racket

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mate — a partner
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fall — to drop
  11. cue — for pool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fall — the season
  14. prune — to trim
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bound — certain
  24. prune — the fruit

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