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: bay · racket · rest · patient · row · stand · bulb · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. bulb — for light
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. row — to paddle
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rest — what's left
  24. racket — a loud noise

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