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 116 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: bark · patient · spell · calf · bulb · leaves · pop · present

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — to visit
  3. present — a gift
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — soda
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. present — there
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — magic
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spell — a short time
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pop — music
  22. present — the time now
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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