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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. game — wild animals
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lean — to bend
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. field — farmland
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. field — for sport
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. field — a subject
  14. lean — thin
  15. game — a match
  16. firm — decided
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. firm — a company
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — goods
  23. firm — steady
  24. racket — for tennis

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