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 120 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: bear · field · nail · last · present · bowl · cell · foot

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. cell — in biology
  3. present — there
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. last — finally
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. present — a gift
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bear — the animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. foot — a measure
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — farmland
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cell — a phone
  20. last — to go on
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. field — for sport

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