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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. field — farmland
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. roll — a list
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. roll — a cake
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. field — for sport
  11. field — a subject
  12. pitch — completely
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wake — a trail
  18. row — to paddle
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. jam — a tight spot

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