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: stand · ruler · season · tear · file · field · nail · arm

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. tear — to rip
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. season — in sport
  11. tear — from crying
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — to bear
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. field — a subject
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. field — farmland
  20. file — a line of people
  21. season — of the year
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tear — from crying
  24. file — a document

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