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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. roll — a cake
  5. field — for sport
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. season — of the year
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ground — a position
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. roll — a list
  14. rock — a stone
  15. field — farmland
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. rock — music
  18. field — a subject
  19. band — a music group
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. season — in sport
  23. band — a ring
  24. rock — to move gently

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