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: pitcher · race · safe · shower · firm · stick · patient · field

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. race — a contest
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — steady
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. firm — a company
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. shower — to wash
  12. field — for sport
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. race — the arms race
  19. firm — decided
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. race — humankind
  22. field — farmland
  23. shower — rain
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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