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: shower · arm · suit · wind · bound · rash · bulb · patient

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bound — obliged
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rash — a series
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — in cards
  11. shower — rain
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — to fit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rash — hasty
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. suit — clothes
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. shower — to wash

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