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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — in music
  4. net — after costs
  5. bank — of a river
  6. field — for sport
  7. mug — a face
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. field — farmland
  10. net — for catching
  11. pit — a hole
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. craft — boats
  15. net — in sport
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — to rob
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mug — a cup
  20. field — a subject
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pit — in a race

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