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: net · scale · temple · mug · fall · pound · bulb · craft

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. scale — size or range
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mug — a cup
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mug — a face
  14. net — in sport
  15. scale — in music
  16. net — after costs
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fall — the season
  23. net — for catching
  24. craft — a handicraft

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