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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. saw — the tool
  6. field — a subject
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bear — the animal
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. field — for sport
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rest — a break
  15. bulb — for light
  16. field — farmland
  17. track — a song
  18. rest — what's left
  19. saw — the tool
  20. track — a path
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bulb — of a plant

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