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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. track — a song
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. track — a path
  10. field — farmland
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. field — for sport
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. field — a subject
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — to crush

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