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 · suit · lie · stick · scale · craft · leaves · game

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. suit — clothes
  6. craft — a skill
  7. field — for sport
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. craft — boats
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. scale — in music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. lie — to recline
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — in cards

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