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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bulb — for light
  7. ground — the earth
  8. branch — a division
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. ground — a position
  12. plane — a tool
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mate — to breed
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a match
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. mate — a partner

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