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: rule · toast · patient · bulb · cold · pitch · safe · fan

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bulb — for light
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. toast — bread
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. rule — government
  19. cold — not warm
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cold — an illness

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