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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. field — a subject
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. field — farmland
  5. root — of a word
  6. drill — army training
  7. rest — a break
  8. root — the cause
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. track — a song
  14. field — for sport
  15. bound — obliged
  16. drill — the tool
  17. chair — a leader
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. track — to keep track
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — a path
  22. rest — what's left
  23. drill — a practice
  24. toast — bread

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