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: field · lash · wind · safe · foot · fan · patient · dip

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. field — for sport
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. foot — a measure
  17. field — a subject
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wind — moving air
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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