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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stock — goods
  12. bank — of a river
  13. field — a subject
  14. ball — a dance
  15. game — wild animals
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — for sport
  18. stock — shares
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. game — a match
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a great time

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