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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. net — in sport
  3. present — a gift
  4. field — for sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. field — a subject
  7. roll — a list
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. present — there
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. net — for catching
  16. field — farmland
  17. track — a path
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. present — the time now
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. club — for dancing

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