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 · lean · patient · track · arm · tube · wound · rush

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. field — for sport
  5. wound — an injury
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rush — hurry
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lean — to bend
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — to keep track
  13. tube — the underground
  14. track — a path
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. field — a subject
  17. tube — a container
  18. field — farmland
  19. lean — thin
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. track — a song

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