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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. degree — an amount
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. degree — from a university
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. saw — the tool
  12. degree — temperature
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. board — a committee
  15. bulb — for light
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. board — to get on
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — boats
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. craft — a skill

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