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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. field — a subject
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pop — music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pop — to visit
  8. object — to protest
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mug — a cup
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitch — completely
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pit — in a race
  17. field — farmland
  18. mug — a face
  19. field — for sport
  20. drill — army training
  21. pop — soda
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pit — a hole

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