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: cap · tear · mark · cue · suit · current · prune · field

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. current — happening now
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. field — a subject
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — for pool
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cap — a lid
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mark — a trace
  11. prune — to trim
  12. field — farmland
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — in cards
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — clothes
  18. cap — a hat
  19. prune — to trim
  20. tear — to rip
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cap — of ice

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