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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. field — for sport
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. field — farmland
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — a series
  8. rash — hasty
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. key — in music
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. field — a subject
  13. press — a publisher
  14. key — the most important part
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. press — newspapers
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. season — of the year
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. press — to push
  23. wake — a trail
  24. season — in sport

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