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

Word bank: nail · bass · field · bowl · fan · bear · kick · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bass — the fish
  7. field — farmland
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. field — a subject
  14. bass — low music
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bear — the animal
  20. field — for sport
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — in football
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fan — a supporter

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