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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. file — a tool
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. file — a document
  13. toast — bread
  14. field — for sport
  15. court — for sport
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bear — the animal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. field — a subject
  24. court — of law

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