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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — farmland
  3. face — part of the head
  4. chest — of your body
  5. track — a song
  6. fall — to drop
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. fall — the season
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. present — the time now
  13. field — for sport
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — to confront
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — a gift
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. present — there
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. chest — a box
  22. toast — bread
  23. chest — of your body
  24. arm — a part of something

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