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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. field — a subject
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rock — music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. field — for sport
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. field — farmland

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