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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spring — the season
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. field — farmland
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bear — the animal
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — a match
  15. field — a subject
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. field — for sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. spring — of water
  24. bowl — a football final

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