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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — for sport
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fine — high quality
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a trace
  11. firm — a company
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. field — farmland
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. clip — to cut
  16. snap — to click
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fine — all right
  22. firm — decided
  23. clip — a video
  24. clip — for paper

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