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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. stand — to bear
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bass — low music
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cell — a phone
  10. field — for sport
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bass — the fish
  13. cell — in biology
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. root — of a word
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. root — the cause
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. field — farmland
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. field — a subject
  22. rash — hasty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — the instrument

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