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: bound · plane · bass · field · rock · rest · bowl · firm

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rest — a break
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. firm — steady
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. field — a subject
  15. firm — a company
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bound — certain
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bass — low music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bowl — to roll

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