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: perch · mark · stick · vault · season · stock · foot · field

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. season — in sport
  3. vault — a safe
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. field — for sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. perch — the fish
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. field — a subject
  13. stock — shares
  14. mark — a trace
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mark — a grade
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. field — farmland
  22. season — of the year
  23. stock — goods
  24. perch — for a bird

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