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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. field — for sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. field — a subject
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — low music
  10. court — for sport
  11. land — a country
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — farmland
  14. track — a song
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. court — of law
  18. land — ground
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bear — the animal
  24. land — to come down

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