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 120 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: row · cue · wave · clip · bulb · patient · march · pass

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cue — a signal
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. clip — for paper
  8. row — a line
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. march — the month
  12. cue — a hint
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. march — the month
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — to cut
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — for light
  22. clip — a video
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. march — music

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