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 124 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. scale — in music
  3. field — a subject
  4. track — a song
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. march — music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. march — the month
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. track — a path
  22. scale — size or range
  23. march — the month
  24. staff — a stick

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