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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — a signal
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cold — not warm
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. cold — an illness
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. chip — for betting
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. leaves — of a tree

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