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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. mate — a friend
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. track — a song
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. march — the month
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. march — music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. march — the month
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. field — farmland
  21. track — a path
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. mate — a partner
  24. wave — with your hand

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