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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. season — in sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. present — the time now
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. wake — a trail
  7. season — of the year
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. chip — for betting
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. suit — to fit
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. field — a subject
  18. suit — in cards
  19. rash — a series
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rash — hasty
  22. chip — to eat
  23. field — for sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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