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 124 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: suit · field · trunk · kid · stem · bulb · wave · patient

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bulb — for light
  4. field — for sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — to come from
  8. kid — to tease
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. kid — child
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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