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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. ball — a great time
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. root — of a plant
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. land — to come down
  9. root — the cause
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. squash — to crush
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. root — of a word
  16. land — a country
  17. field — farmland
  18. land — ground
  19. field — for sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. squash — the sport
  23. ball — a dance
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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