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: fan · present · temple · suit · bulb · deal · wind · pop

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. wind — moving air
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. present — a gift
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. pop — soda
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pop — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. present — there
  20. suit — in cards
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. present — the time now
  23. bulb — for light
  24. deal — a big deal

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