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

Word bank: drill · root · vault · field · fine · sharp · bank · patient

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bank — for money
  5. field — for sport
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. drill — a practice
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — the tool
  12. field — a subject
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — all right
  15. root — of a plant
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — a safe
  18. field — farmland
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. root — the cause
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. root — of a word
  24. fine — high quality

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