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: fall · safe · patient · bulb · pop · branch · chip · lash

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pop — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pop — soda
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pop — to visit

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