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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. kid — child
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. swing — to play on
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. swing — in golf
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. bulb — for light
  20. drill — the tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. swing — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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