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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. field — farmland
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stem — to come from
  5. net — in sport
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. snap — to click
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. field — for sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. field — a subject
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. key — in music
  20. key — the most important part
  21. net — after costs
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. net — for catching

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