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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. field — farmland
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. object — an aim
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — the cause
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stock — goods
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. field — a subject
  14. stock — shares
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. object — to protest
  17. charge — in control
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. root — of a plant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. object — a thing
  24. field — for 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