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: plane · face · game · track · field · temple · calf · present

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. field — for sport
  3. game — a match
  4. present — there
  5. field — a subject
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — to point toward
  10. present — the time now
  11. track — a path
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. track — to keep track
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. field — farmland
  16. plane — a tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. face — part of the head
  23. present — a gift
  24. track — a song

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