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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a dance
  3. present — the time now
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. field — for sport
  6. ball — a great time
  7. spring — a coil
  8. field — a subject
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. present — there
  12. suit — in cards
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. present — a gift
  15. spring — of water
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. field — farmland
  18. spring — the season
  19. suit — to fit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — clothes
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. nail — for a hammer

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