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: rush · wind · bulb · arm · temple · bear · calf · patient

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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