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: rule · lie · patient · band · kid · bulb · rest · stem

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bulb — for light
  3. kid — child
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — to come from
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. band — a ring
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. band — a music group
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — a break
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rule — a law
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bulb — for light
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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