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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. field — for sport
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. current — happening now
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. field — a subject
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ball — a great time
  12. scale — size or range
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. field — farmland
  17. current — electric
  18. stand — to bear
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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