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: scale · stand · cabinet · coach · field · jam · deal · snap

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. field — farmland
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. field — a subject
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. deal — to handle
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. field — for sport
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to click
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stand — on your feet

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