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: bay · scale · wound · field · current · hand · rock · bulb

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. field — farmland
  5. field — for sport
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. current — happening now
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. rock — music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — an injury
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. hand — help
  16. scale — in music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. scale — size or range
  20. current — electric
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hand — in cards
  24. field — a subject

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