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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. mug — a cup
  3. field — farmland
  4. current — of water
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a word
  8. mug — a face
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mug — to rob
  11. foot — a measure
  12. current — electric
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. track — a path
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. field — for sport
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. track — a song
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. root — of a plant
  23. current — happening now
  24. foot — the bottom

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