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

Word bank: bowl · field · mug · bat · cabinet · perch · firm · staff

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. field — farmland
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — steady
  14. bat — the animal
  15. mug — a face
  16. field — for sport
  17. firm — decided
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. field — a subject
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bowl — a dish

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