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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. field — farmland
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. field — for sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. present — a gift
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. field — a subject
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. present — the time now
  22. wake — a trail
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cabinet — ministers

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