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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. lean — thin
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. pop — soda
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wake — a trail
  17. toast — bread
  18. cue — a signal
  19. game — a match
  20. cue — a hint
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — 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