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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. suit — in cards
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. club — for dancing
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. ground — a position
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ground — the earth
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mark — a trace
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. ground — crushed

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