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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. field — farmland
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rush — hurry
  8. shower — rain
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stand — to bear
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. field — a subject
  14. sharp — clever
  15. charge — in control
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. shower — to wash
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — a thrill

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