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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. field — for sport
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. field — a subject
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. board — a committee
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. land — ground
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. board — to get on
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. field — farmland
  18. land — to come down
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pitch — completely
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. land — a country
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — rain

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