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 120 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: pass · perch · key · stem · bulb · kid · patient · cue

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. perch — the fish
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. key — in music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pass — a permit
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cue — for pool
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stem — to come from

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