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: pit · fine · current · fork · bound · field · mine · plane

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pit — in a race
  4. current — electric
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. field — for sport
  10. fine — high quality
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bound — certain
  15. current — of water
  16. field — a subject
  17. field — farmland
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bound — tied together
  20. fine — all right
  21. current — happening now
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — for digging

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