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: bulb · content · swing · suit · pitcher · deal · patient · bark

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. content — the amount
  16. deal — to handle
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — happy
  20. suit — clothes
  21. swing — music
  22. bark — to shout
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — in golf

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