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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. field — a subject
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. can — a tin
  7. degree — from a university
  8. suit — to fit
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. field — for sport
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. degree — an amount
  17. perch — the fish
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rash — a series
  21. can — to be able to
  22. degree — temperature
  23. suit — in cards
  24. field — farmland

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