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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mug — to rob
  5. net — for catching
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. net — in sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. present — a gift
  11. field — farmland
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. field — a subject
  14. fall — the season
  15. stock — goods
  16. mug — a cup
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. net — after costs
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. field — for sport
  22. present — there
  23. present — the time now
  24. stock — shares

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