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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · wave · field · rest · content · safe

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. field — farmland
  7. rest — what's left
  8. content — the amount
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rest — a break
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. field — for sport

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