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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. tear — from crying
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — for sport
  13. chip — for betting
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. chip — to eat
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pop — soda
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. tear — to rip
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. craft — a skill

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