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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bulb — for light
  4. track — to keep track
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. track — a path
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bulb — for light
  10. kick — in football
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. track — a song
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. vault — a safe
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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