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: bound · plane · temple · leaves · wake · foot · spell · bulb

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spell — letters
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bound — obliged
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bulb — for light
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wake — a trail
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — magic
  22. plane — a tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. foot — the bottom

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