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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. field — farmland
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — the earth
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rock — music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. field — for sport
  16. rock — a stone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. toast — bread

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