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 120 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 · rock · field · face · bulb · sharp · bark · mouse

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rock — music
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. face — to confront
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. field — farmland
  18. face — part of the head
  19. field — a subject
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  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