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: jam · patient · mark · safe · rock · current · race · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. mark — a grade
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. field — for sport
  6. race — humankind
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — electric
  9. rock — a stone
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. race — the arms race
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. current — happening now
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. field — a subject
  22. rock — music
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. race — a contest

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