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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — to breed
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rock — music
  8. face — to confront
  9. mate — a friend
  10. face — part of the head
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bulb — for light
  15. present — a gift
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mate — a partner
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. present — there
  24. face — to point toward

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