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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. field — farmland
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. degree — from a university
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. field — for sport
  12. spring — of water
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mine — for digging
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. degree — temperature
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. degree — an amount
  22. field — a subject
  23. stand — to bear
  24. spring — a coil

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