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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bulb — for light
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. game — wild animals
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bulb — for light
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. staff — employees
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. game — a match
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mate — a partner
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. kick — in football
  16. mate — to breed
  17. staff — employees
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the sport
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. calf — of the leg

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