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: field · bay · track · cue · toast · pound · pitch · wake

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. field — for sport
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. track — to keep track
  6. toast — bread
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cue — for pool
  10. track — a path
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wake — a trail
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. field — a subject
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — completely
  24. field — farmland

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