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: ruler · sharp · field · deal · mine · fan · vault · spring

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. field — for sport
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — the season
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mine — for digging
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. spring — of water
  16. vault — a safe
  17. field — farmland
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ruler — a monarch

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