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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. root — of a word
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mug — a face
  8. season — of the year
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — a series
  11. bound — certain
  12. root — of a plant
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. root — the cause
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. mug — to rob
  21. prune — to trim
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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