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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stand — to bear
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bulb — for light

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