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 120 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. field — a subject
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. scale — in music
  10. field — farmland
  11. charge — electricity
  12. field — for sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — in control
  15. season — in sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stand — to bear
  20. season — of the year
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. shower — to wash
  23. shower — rain
  24. season — to add flavour

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