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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rock — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — in a road
  7. field — a subject
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. track — to keep track
  12. club — a group
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. club — for golf
  16. present — there
  17. rock — a stone
  18. field — for sport
  19. present — the time now
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. field — farmland
  24. club — for dancing

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