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: patient · pitcher · bulb · straw · staff · racket · lash · fan

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. staff — employees
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. fan — to cool the air

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