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: bay · sharp · net · board · bowl · bank · field · pop

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bank — for money
  3. field — a subject
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bank — of a river
  6. field — for sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. board — a committee
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pop — to visit
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bank — for money
  15. pop — soda
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. field — farmland
  18. pop — music
  19. net — for catching
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. net — in sport
  22. board — to get on
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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