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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. staff — employees
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — to drill
  18. staff — employees

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