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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. band — a music group
  5. field — a subject
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. field — for sport
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rock — a stone
  11. field — farmland
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. band — a ring
  21. rock — music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bear — the animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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