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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — to bear
  6. field — a subject
  7. rock — music
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. field — farmland
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. field — for sport
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rock — a stone
  24. toast — bread

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