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: stick · net · mark · march · wax · field · pit · racket

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — a grade
  4. field — for sport
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pit — a hole
  8. net — in sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. field — a subject
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. march — music
  16. field — farmland
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. mark — a trace
  20. net — after costs
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — for catching

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