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: racket · cold · dip · trunk · bulb · ruler · temple · scale

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cold — not warm
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. scale — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bulb — for light
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cold — an illness
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. scale — for weighing

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