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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. file — a tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. bulb — for light
  6. file — a document
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rock — a stone
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. rock — music
  13. cap — of ice
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. file — a line of people
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bulb — for light
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rock — to move gently

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