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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. root — of a word
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wind — moving air
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — a skill
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. field — a subject
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bass — low music
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. craft — boats
  24. field — farmland

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