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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pass — a permit
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — high quality
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — to come from
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. patient — a sick person

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