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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. swing — in golf
  3. field — farmland
  4. swing — music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — to come down
  7. craft — boats
  8. field — a subject
  9. fall — the season
  10. firm — steady
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bulb — for light
  14. land — ground
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bulb — for light
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. field — for sport
  20. fall — to drop
  21. land — a country
  22. firm — a company
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fall — to drop

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