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: patient · season · field · fan · capital · safe · dip · suit

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. season — in sport
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. field — farmland
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. dip — to sink
  10. suit — clothes
  11. season — of the year
  12. suit — in cards
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. capital — money
  17. capital — a city
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. field — a subject
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — to fit

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