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: field · ground · kick · mark · patient · bound · bulb · suit

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. bound — certain
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bulb — for light
  7. kick — in football
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mark — a trace
  10. suit — clothes
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mark — a grade
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. field — for sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — the earth
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ground — a position

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