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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. field — for sport
  3. ground — a position
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. scale — in music
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ground — the earth
  10. field — farmland
  11. bore — to tire
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ground — crushed
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. field — a subject
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. scale — for weighing

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