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: sharp · field · can · mate · root · bore · land · stock

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a partner
  5. root — of a word
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bore — to tire
  8. land — to come down
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. root — the cause
  12. land — ground
  13. bore — to drill
  14. field — a subject
  15. root — of a plant
  16. field — farmland
  17. stock — shares
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. land — a country
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. mate — to breed
  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