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 116 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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. cap — a hat
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — a subject
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cap — a lid
  10. ground — a position
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ground — the earth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rule — a law
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rule — government
  19. suit — to fit
  20. band — a music group
  21. chip — to eat
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rule — to rule out

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