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: spell · coach · key · roll · patient · staff · stand · bulb

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. roll — a cake
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. key — in music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. roll — a list
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spell — letters
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. key — for a lock
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bulb — for light
  19. spell — a short time
  20. spell — magic
  21. key — the most important part
  22. staff — employees
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. coach — a trainer

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