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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. field — farmland
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. field — a subject
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rule — a law
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fine — all right
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. field — for sport
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rule — government

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