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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. field — a subject
  4. pop — soda
  5. root — of a word
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spring — the season
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spring — of water
  13. field — for sport
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — a coil
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. field — farmland
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. root — the cause

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