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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. field — a subject
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. field — farmland
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. court — of law
  10. stand — to bear
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stock — shares
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. stock — goods
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. field — for sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pound — a weight

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