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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. spring — the season
  9. bore — to drill
  10. prune — to trim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bulb — for light
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — to trim
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bulb — of a plant

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