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: plane · fine · field · stand · firm · deal · chest · court

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. chest — of your body
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fine — all right
  7. chest — a box
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — steady
  11. court — of law
  12. field — farmland
  13. firm — decided
  14. chest — of your body
  15. field — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. field — a subject
  18. court — for sport
  19. fine — high quality
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — a company
  24. deal — a big deal

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