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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. game — wild animals
  3. field — a subject
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. wind — moving air
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. suit — in cards
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bore — to drill
  14. field — for sport
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cell — in biology
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cell — a phone
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. deal — to handle
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. bore — to tire
  24. game — a match

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