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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. field — a subject
  6. mark — a grade
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. rule — government
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. saw — the tool
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. vault — a safe
  18. field — farmland
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. rule — a law
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. mark — a trace

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