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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. club — for dancing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. field — a subject
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — certain
  10. club — a group
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. field — farmland
  13. rock — music
  14. bound — tied together
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. club — for golf
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. temple — a place of worship

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