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: band · calf · temple · wave · bulb · season · ground · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. season — in sport
  7. band — a ring
  8. season — of the year
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. band — a music group
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bulb — for light
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rest — a break
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. temple — a place of worship

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