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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. field — farmland
  5. track — a path
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pop — to visit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — soda
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pop — music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. field — a subject
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. track — a song
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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