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: board · bulb · last · snap · ground · chair · patient · lean

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bulb — for light
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ground — a position
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. board — a committee
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. lean — thin
  19. snap — to click
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. last — final
  24. lean — to bend

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