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 116 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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a great time
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. field — a subject
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. field — farmland
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cue — a hint
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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