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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. field — a subject
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — to fit
  8. race — a contest
  9. field — for sport
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. field — farmland
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. race — humankind
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. charge — electricity
  16. suit — clothes
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. charge — in control
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. coach — a trainer

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