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: rock · suit · ball · bay · leaves · fork · field · chip

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rock — music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. suit — to fit
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — for sport
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. field — a subject
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. chip — for betting
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rock — a stone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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