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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. object — to protest
  4. rash — a series
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wind — moving air
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rash — hasty
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. patient — a sick person

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