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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. field — farmland
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. current — of water
  11. pit — in a race
  12. field — for sport
  13. file — a document
  14. court — for sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. suit — to fit
  19. file — a tool
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. court — of a king
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — of law

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