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: deal · saw · spell · swing · bulb · patient · bark · can

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. deal — to handle
  5. saw — the tool
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — letters
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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