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: stem · pitcher · lie · bowl · fine · lean · field · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stem — to come from
  5. fork — in a road
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. field — for sport
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. field — farmland
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fine — all right
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. field — a subject
  24. bowl — a dish

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