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: chip · racket · fine · field · tube · kick · rest · stem

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. field — for sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. chip — to eat
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. chip — for betting
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. field — a subject
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — the underground
  18. kick — in football
  19. field — farmland
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tube — a container
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — a loud noise

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