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: plane · rash · jam · temple · roll · ball · rush · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ball — a dance
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rash — a series
  10. ball — a great time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bulb — for light
  13. plane — a tool
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rush — hurry
  23. roll — a list
  24. rush — a thrill

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