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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wind — moving air
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a dance
  10. firm — decided
  11. wind — moving air
  12. suit — in cards
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — clothes
  15. field — a subject
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wind — to turn a key

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