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 116 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: race · patient · key · mate · mine · sharp · fine · bulb

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fine — all right
  4. mate — a friend
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. mine — for digging
  8. key — the most important part
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mate — to breed
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bulb — for light
  14. race — a contest
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. sharp — clever
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mate — a partner
  20. fine — high quality
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. key — in music
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. sharp — with an edge

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