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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. land — to come down
  4. field — farmland
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. land — a country
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. kick — in football
  10. ground — a position
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stock — shares
  17. field — for sport
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. land — ground
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. field — a subject
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stock — goods
  24. hide — to keep secret

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