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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. key — in music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — army training
  5. mate — a friend
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. key — the most important part
  10. drill — the tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. drill — a practice
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mate — a partner
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — the cause
  24. mate — to breed

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