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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. object — an aim
  3. field — a subject
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. clip — a video
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. clip — for paper
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. clip — to cut
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pit — a hole
  16. field — farmland
  17. object — a thing
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — a trail
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. object — to protest
  22. key — in music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. arm — a part of something

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