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: game · craft · press · last · bulb · tear · spell · patient

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. last — to go on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. press — newspapers
  6. last — finally
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. press — to push
  11. craft — a skill
  12. press — a publisher
  13. spell — letters
  14. game — wild animals
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — magic
  19. craft — boats
  20. game — a match
  21. tear — from crying
  22. last — final
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. tear — to rip

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