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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. field — a subject
  14. wound — an injury
  15. can — a tin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitch — completely
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bass — the fish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wound — an injury

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