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: field · key · net · game · can · craft · rule · branch

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. can — to be able to
  5. field — a subject
  6. key — the most important part
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. game — wild animals
  9. key — for a lock
  10. craft — boats
  11. branch — a division
  12. rule — government
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — a tin
  19. game — a match
  20. rule — a law
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. key — in music
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. can — a tin

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