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 120 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: fall · fork · charge · field · stem · spell · racket · plane

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. field — farmland
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. spell — letters
  7. field — a subject
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. spell — magic
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — a tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fall — to drop
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fall — the season
  18. charge — in control
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fork — in a road
  21. charge — a price
  22. field — for sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. charge — electricity

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