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: field · pit · plane · bowl · row · snap · suit · ground

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ground — a position
  10. row — a line
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. field — farmland
  13. pit — in a race
  14. snap — to click
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. ground — crushed
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — for sport
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ground — the earth
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. suit — clothes

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