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: bark · degree · rule · plane · stem · suit · field · can

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. rule — a law
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — in cards
  7. degree — an amount
  8. field — a subject
  9. can — to be able to
  10. degree — from a university
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stem — to come from
  16. suit — to fit
  17. field — farmland
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. degree — temperature
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rule — government
  24. suit — clothes

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