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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stock — goods
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. field — a subject
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. perch — the fish
  12. field — for sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stock — shares
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. toast — bread
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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