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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. cue — a signal
  3. rash — a series
  4. mark — a trace
  5. field — for sport
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mark — a grade
  11. net — for catching
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. cue — a hint
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. net — in sport
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rash — hasty
  18. cue — for pool
  19. field — farmland
  20. net — after costs
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. field — a subject

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