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 · coach · club · bay · stick · current · arm · clip

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. club — a group
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. clip — a video
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — for paper
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — to cut
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for golf
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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