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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rest — what's left
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bear — the animal
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. degree — from a university
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. degree — an amount
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. last — finally
  24. last — to go on

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