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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. stand — to bear
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — a tool
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — for light
  9. field — a subject
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. charge — in control
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fall — the season
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fall — to drop
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bulb — for light

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