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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. chest — a box
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. chest — of your body
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — to get on
  8. field — farmland
  9. can — a tin
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. board — a committee
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — a group
  15. pit — in a race
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — for dancing
  18. chest — of your body
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pit — a hole
  21. club — for golf
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. field — for sport

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