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 · track · bulb · race · kick · suit · date · mine

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — clothes
  3. date — the fruit
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. suit — to fit
  8. kick — in football
  9. mine — for digging
  10. race — the arms race
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. track — a song
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. track — a path
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. race — a contest
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. race — humankind

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