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: hide · bulb · spell · mouse · temple · band · pitch · last

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. last — to go on
  3. band — a ring
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. band — a music group
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — letters
  8. bulb — for light
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pitch — completely
  13. spell — magic
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. last — finally
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. last — final
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitch — a sports field

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