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: pitcher · rule · bulb · patient · board · racket · wound · key

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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. pitcher — a jug
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. board — to get on
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — an injury
  18. board — a committee
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. key — in music

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