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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. dip — to sink
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. field — for sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. drill — a practice
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — low music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. drill — army training
  23. field — a subject
  24. dip — a sauce

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