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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — to drill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. snap — to click
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. lean — thin
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. scale — in music

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