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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. track — a song
  3. track — to keep track
  4. field — a subject
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. field — farmland
  8. stem — to come from
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bore — to tire
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. track — a path
  15. field — for sport
  16. club — for golf
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. root — the cause
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bore — to drill
  21. club — for dancing
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. safe — out of danger

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