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: band · field · content · bay · ball · trunk · coach · season

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. content — the amount
  4. ball — a dance
  5. field — for sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a ring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. field — farmland
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. content — happy
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. field — a subject
  23. ball — a great time
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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