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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rock — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bulb — for light
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. rock — a stone
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. drill — army training
  20. bulb — for light
  21. key — in music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. key — for a lock

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