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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. deal — to handle
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — decided
  17. court — of law
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. court — of a king
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. field — a subject

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