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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cell — a phone
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cell — in biology
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. drill — army training
  24. bass — the fish

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