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 120 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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — electricity
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — in control
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. present — there
  10. tube — the underground
  11. present — the time now
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. tear — from crying
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tube — a container
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. charge — a price
  21. tear — from crying
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. tear — to rip
  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