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 · temple · present · bay · wave · stick · court · bore

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. field — a subject
  3. bore — to drill
  4. court — of law
  5. present — a gift
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. court — of a king
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bore — to tire
  14. field — for sport
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. present — the time now
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. court — for sport
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. present — there
  24. field — farmland

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