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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. chest — of your body
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. chest — of your body
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chest — a box
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — a committee
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cell — in biology
  24. wave — with your hand

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