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: chip · bore · mark · fine · date · field · rock · club

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rock — a stone
  4. field — farmland
  5. club — a group
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bore — to drill
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mark — a trace
  11. date — the fruit
  12. rock — music
  13. chip — to eat
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mark — a grade
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fine — all right
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. bore — to tire
  23. field — for sport
  24. club — for golf

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