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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. plane — a tool
  6. field — farmland
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. field — for sport
  10. season — in sport
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. season — of the year
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. cue — a signal
  23. field — a subject
  24. stand — on your feet

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