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: patient · dip · bulb · wind · mate · suit · wake · fan

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — a partner
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. dip — to sink
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — in cards
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mate — to breed
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. suit — clothes
  24. dip — a sauce

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