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: date · stick · lean · jam · field · band · swing · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. band — a ring
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. field — farmland
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. field — for sport
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — the cause
  13. swing — music
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. lean — thin
  16. field — a subject
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lean — to bend
  19. swing — to play on
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. band — a music group
  24. jam — in traffic

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