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: field · wave · drill · mine · leaves · root · key · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. root — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. field — a subject
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. drill — a practice
  10. root — the cause
  11. mine — for digging
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. drill — army training
  17. key — in music
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. field — for sport
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. key — the most important part
  22. root — of a word
  23. key — for a lock
  24. leaves — of a tree

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