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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. field — farmland
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ball — a great time
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — thin
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. field — for sport
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. rock — music
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. field — a subject
  21. present — there
  22. lean — to bend
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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