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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. court — of a king
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pop — music
  5. season — in sport
  6. field — for sport
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. season — of the year
  9. field — farmland
  10. pop — soda
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. court — of law
  15. cap — of ice
  16. field — a subject
  17. court — for sport
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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