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: spring · jam · pitcher · field · mug · scale · mark · tear

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. spring — of water
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. tear — to rip
  5. spring — the season
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mug — to rob
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. scale — size or range
  10. field — farmland
  11. field — for sport
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spring — a coil
  15. field — a subject
  16. scale — in music
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tear — from crying

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