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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rash — a series
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. roll — a list
  8. mate — a friend
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mate — to breed
  11. field — for sport
  12. bear — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. field — a subject
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. fan — to cool the air

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