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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. field — farmland
  3. sharp — clever
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. root — of a plant
  6. track — to keep track
  7. field — for sport
  8. root — of a word
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. root — the cause
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. tube — the underground
  14. snap — to click
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. field — a subject
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. tube — a container
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — hurry

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