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: pass · bowl · lean · fall · foot · chest · field · season

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chest — a box
  4. fall — to drop
  5. field — a subject
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. foot — a measure
  8. chest — of your body
  9. season — of the year
  10. field — for sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lean — thin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. field — farmland
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. season — in sport
  17. fall — to drop
  18. chest — of your body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fall — the season
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pass — a permit

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