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: temple · content · date · jam · bulb · craft · court · charge

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. content — happy
  3. bulb — for light
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. court — of law
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — a skill
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. content — the amount
  14. charge — a price
  15. craft — boats
  16. date — the fruit
  17. court — of a king
  18. charge — in control
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bulb — for light

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