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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — to protest
  3. field — farmland
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pop — to visit
  9. present — there
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mark — a grade
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. present — a gift
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mug — a face
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — 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