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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. ball — a great time
  3. chest — of your body
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chest — a box
  9. field — farmland
  10. key — in music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. degree — temperature
  17. degree — from a university
  18. object — a thing
  19. field — a subject
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. object — to protest
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bore — to drill

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