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: pit · field · bulb · safe · roll · stock · fine · board

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. board — to get on
  10. roll — a list
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. stock — shares
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stock — goods
  17. pit — a hole
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — high quality
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — all right
  24. board — a flat piece

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