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: lash · current · prune · mouse · patient · bulb · squash · coach

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. squash — to crush
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. current — happening now
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bulb — for light
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. current — of water
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. current — electric
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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