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 · cue · craft · bulb · chip · wake · bat · rush

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. craft — boats
  3. chip — to eat
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. chip — for betting
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bat — the animal
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. cue — a signal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. craft — a skill

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