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: coach · fall · hide · mug · field · dip · bulb · season

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to sink
  6. season — of the year
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bulb — for light
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fall — to drop
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. season — in sport
  16. fall — the season
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — for sport
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mug — a face
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. season — to add flavour

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