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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. root — of a word
  3. field — farmland
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — of a plant
  8. season — of the year
  9. last — final
  10. suit — in cards
  11. field — a subject
  12. chip — to eat
  13. last — finally
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — to fit
  16. craft — boats
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. last — to go on
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. field — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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