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: straw · charge · field · row · calf · stand · ball · can

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — electricity
  7. can — a tin
  8. row — a line
  9. ball — a dance
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. can — a tin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. field — for sport
  18. row — to paddle
  19. field — farmland
  20. charge — in control
  21. field — a subject
  22. can — to be able to
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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