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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · wake · lie · bowl · suit · field

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. field — for sport
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. can — a tin
  5. suit — to fit
  6. field — a subject
  7. field — farmland
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lie — to recline
  14. can — a tin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bowl — a football final

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