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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. field — for sport
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. field — farmland
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. craft — boats
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. ground — the earth
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. field — a subject
  24. pass — a permit

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