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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. present — the time now
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. object — a thing
  5. stock — goods
  6. rock — music
  7. foot — a measure
  8. object — to protest
  9. present — a gift
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. lean — thin
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. field — for sport
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. object — an aim
  17. present — there
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lean — to bend
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. field — a subject

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