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: pitcher · foot · can · bay · cap · field · patient · chair

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. can — a tin
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cap — a hat
  6. can — a tin
  7. field — for sport
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — a leader
  10. field — a subject
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. can — to be able to
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. field — farmland
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. foot — the bottom

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