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 · spring · jam · bulb · craft · drill · fan · calf

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. field — farmland
  3. spring — of water
  4. craft — a skill
  5. field — a subject
  6. drill — army training
  7. spring — the season
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bulb — for light
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. drill — a practice
  13. craft — boats
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — a coil
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. field — for sport

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