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: stock · band · racket · safe · perch · root · foot · field

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. perch — the fish
  3. field — for sport
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stock — shares
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — goods
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. root — the cause
  14. field — farmland
  15. root — of a plant
  16. band — a music group
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. field — a subject
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. foot — a measure
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. band — a ring
  24. root — of a word

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