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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: key · rule · bulb · patient · pound · wind

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. key — in music
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bulb — for light
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — a law
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — to hit hard

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