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: field · lean · bowl · game · rush · hide · leaves · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — for sport
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. game — wild animals
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. game — a match
  19. field — a subject
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — all right
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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