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: rash · capital · bay · field · chest · temple · craft · stem

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chest — a box
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. capital — a city
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. field — for sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. rash — hasty
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. craft — boats
  20. stem — to come from
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. capital — money
  24. temple — side of the head

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