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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. root — the cause
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. root — of a word
  15. fork — in a road
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bank — for money
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bank — of a river
  24. craft — boats

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