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 · lean · root · fork · spring · last · wave · patient

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lean — to bend
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. last — to go on
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. lean — thin
  12. root — of a plant
  13. last — finally
  14. bulb — for light
  15. last — final
  16. spring — the season
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. fork — in a road
  21. root — the cause
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fork — to eat with

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