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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — of the year
  6. march — the month
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. band — a music group
  9. cap — of ice
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. march — music
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cap — a hat
  17. season — in sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. field — farmland
  20. band — a ring
  21. staff — employees
  22. cap — a lid
  23. march — the month
  24. field — a subject

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