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: lean · last · mark · field · can · net · track · root

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. root — the cause
  6. track — a song
  7. root — of a word
  8. track — to keep track
  9. lean — to bend
  10. field — for sport
  11. last — final
  12. net — in sport
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. field — farmland
  16. last — to go on
  17. track — a path
  18. can — to be able to
  19. mark — a grade
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lean — thin
  22. root — of a plant
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. last — finally

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