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: bulb · bore · patient · cell · temple · leaves · plane · bat

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — a tool
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cell — a phone
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. bulb — for light
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. patient — a sick person

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