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: field · foot · plane · stick · season · wave · net · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. net — after costs
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. plane — a tool
  5. track — a path
  6. field — a subject
  7. season — in sport
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. field — for sport
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. net — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. track — a song
  17. net — for catching
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. field — farmland
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. foot — a measure

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