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 116 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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. drill — the tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. prune — to trim
  8. drill — army training
  9. can — a tin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. field — farmland
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rest — a break
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. band — a music group
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. band — a ring
  18. can — a tin
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. prune — to trim
  21. rest — what's left
  22. field — a subject
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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