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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rash — a series
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. net — after costs
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. field — farmland
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. field — for sport
  11. net — for catching
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. net — in sport
  18. field — a subject
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. rash — hasty
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — a stem cell

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