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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. field — for sport
  3. cue — a hint
  4. fine — all right
  5. field — a subject
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — a thing
  9. degree — from a university
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fine — high quality
  13. degree — an amount
  14. cap — of ice
  15. object — an aim
  16. cue — for pool
  17. object — to protest
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cap — a lid
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cue — a signal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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