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: stem · dip · leaves · field · pitcher · cap · fork · can

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. can — a tin
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. dip — to sink
  6. field — farmland
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. can — a tin
  9. field — for sport
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. dip — to dunk

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