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: bulb · patient · stand · squash · object · mouse · kid · key

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kid — child
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. key — the most important part
  12. object — an aim
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. object — a thing
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — in music
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stand — to bear
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kid — to tease
  24. patient — a sick person

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