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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rock — music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bulb — for light
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. season — of the year
  14. track — a song
  15. march — music
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. track — a path
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. march — the month

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