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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. club — a group
  4. rock — music
  5. club — for golf
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — an aim
  8. club — for dancing
  9. object — to protest
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. field — for sport
  14. ball — a great time
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rock — a stone
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — a tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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