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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. field — a subject
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. track — to keep track
  5. field — for sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. season — of the year
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stock — shares
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. season — in sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — in control
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. season — to add flavour

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