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: dip · nail · sharp · stem · patient · field · staff · ground

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. field — a subject
  3. dip — to sink
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. ground — a position
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — farmland
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. sharp — clever
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ground — crushed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stem — to come from

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