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: present · file · last · net · field · root · tube · mug

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. file — a tool
  3. root — of a plant
  4. net — after costs
  5. field — a subject
  6. file — a document
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tube — a container
  10. field — farmland
  11. root — of a word
  12. net — in sport
  13. last — to go on
  14. net — for catching
  15. mug — to rob
  16. root — the cause
  17. present — there
  18. file — a line of people
  19. present — the time now
  20. last — final
  21. field — for sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — a face
  24. present — a gift

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