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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. field — a subject
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. cell — in biology
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. rule — a law
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rule — government
  15. cell — a phone
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. craft — boats
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — a price

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