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: safe · mine · roll · leaves · field · net · patient · object

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. field — farmland
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. roll — a list
  8. field — a subject
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. net — in sport
  21. object — a thing
  22. roll — a cake
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. roll — on a roll

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