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: pop · calf · pitcher · field · drill · scale · board · fan

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. drill — a practice
  4. pop — soda
  5. field — for sport
  6. drill — army training
  7. board — a committee
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. scale — in music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. drill — the tool
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pop — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. board — to get on
  23. field — a subject
  24. fan — to cool the air

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