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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. chip — to eat
  11. field — farmland
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. season — in sport
  16. rash — a series
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fall — the season
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. field — a subject
  23. season — of the year
  24. bay — a horse colour

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