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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. file — a document
  4. field — a subject
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. file — a line of people
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a great time
  9. can — a tin
  10. field — farmland
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. can — a tin
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. key — in music
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. can — to be able to
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fork — in a road
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. file — a tool
  24. field — for sport

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