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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. board — a committee
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. field — for sport
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — magic
  11. mark — a grade
  12. board — to get on
  13. perch — the fish
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. craft — boats
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. field — farmland
  20. spell — letters
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. craft — a skill

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