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

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — a subject
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fork — in a road
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fine — high quality
  12. field — for sport
  13. rash — hasty
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. branch — of a bank

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