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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bulb — for light
  5. craft — boats
  6. field — a subject
  7. prune — to trim
  8. field — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. charge — in control
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rule — government
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — electricity
  17. field — farmland
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rule — a law
  22. charge — a price
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — the fruit

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