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: jam · hide · stick · field · fine · board · ground · root

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — a subject
  3. root — the cause
  4. ground — crushed
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. ground — the earth
  7. fine — all right
  8. root — of a plant
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. board — to get on
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fine — high quality
  14. root — of a word
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. board — a committee
  20. ground — a position
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. field — farmland

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