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: bowl · field · march · suit · present · bay · pass · foot

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. field — for sport
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. march — music
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pass — a permit
  11. present — the time now
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. foot — a measure
  15. suit — in cards
  16. field — farmland
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. field — a subject
  19. march — the month
  20. march — the month
  21. present — a gift
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. pass — to spend time

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