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: pitcher · plane · firm · bulb · straw · patient · prune · coach

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. prune — to trim
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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