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: field · mate · bay · temple · arm · prune · cap · track

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mate — a friend
  6. field — for sport
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. field — a subject
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cap — of ice
  14. mate — a partner
  15. prune — to trim
  16. field — farmland
  17. mate — to breed
  18. track — a song
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. track — to keep track
  21. prune — to trim
  22. track — a path
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bay — a horse colour

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