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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. field — farmland
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bore — to drill
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. ground — crushed
  8. season — in sport
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. board — a committee
  11. foot — a measure
  12. field — for sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ground — a position
  19. field — a subject
  20. board — to get on
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. scale — size or range
  23. season — of the year
  24. scale — in music

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