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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. field — for sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. season — in sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. degree — temperature
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — to come from
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. season — of the year
  11. can — a tin
  12. squash — the sport
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. can — to be able to
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. can — a tin
  20. degree — an amount
  21. saw — the tool
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stem — of a plant

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