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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. stock — goods
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wake — a trail
  6. field — a subject
  7. rush — hurry
  8. cue — a hint
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stock — shares
  14. mug — to rob
  15. sharp — clever
  16. field — farmland
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cue — a signal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — a face

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