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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. field — for sport
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fine — high quality
  8. field — farmland
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fall — to drop
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fine — all right
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. scale — size or range
  16. fall — the season
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. scale — in music
  22. field — a subject
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fine — a penalty

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