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 116 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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. field — a subject
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. court — of law
  10. field — for sport
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. court — for sport
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mug — a cup
  16. field — farmland
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. rest — what's left
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. court — of a king
  24. hide — animal skin

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