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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. field — a subject
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — a stone
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. squash — the sport
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. file — a tool
  12. foot — a measure
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. file — a line of people
  16. squash — to crush
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. field — farmland
  19. deal — to handle
  20. field — for sport
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rock — music
  23. file — a document
  24. season — of the year

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