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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. suit — in cards
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. swing — music
  6. capital — a city
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bark — to shout
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. swing — in golf
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. swing — to play on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — money
  23. bulb — for light
  24. capital — a big letter

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