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: wake · field · ball · object · stand · drill · bulb · board

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. field — farmland
  4. drill — the tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stand — to bear
  8. board — a committee
  9. field — for sport
  10. object — a thing
  11. drill — a practice
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. field — a subject
  17. drill — army training
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — a trail
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. object — an aim
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. object — to protest

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