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 · charge · wave · patient · cell · bulb · field · root

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — in control
  4. field — for sport
  5. bulb — for light
  6. root — of a word
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. cell — in biology
  9. root — of a plant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bulb — for light
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. field — a subject
  14. charge — electricity
  15. root — the cause
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — a price
  23. field — farmland
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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