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: pound · safe · pass · field · cap · ground · saw · track

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. cap — of ice
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. field — farmland
  11. pass — a permit
  12. field — a subject
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pound — a weight
  20. ground — a position
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — crushed
  23. track — a path
  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