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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — bread
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lean — thin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. key — in music
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bulb — for light
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — boats
  24. net — after costs

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