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 116 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: spell · field · ball · sharp · bay · chip · press · perch

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. spell — letters
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — clever
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. ball — a great time
  9. field — a subject
  10. chip — to eat
  11. press — to push
  12. press — a publisher
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. field — farmland
  16. spell — a short time
  17. press — newspapers
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. spell — magic
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. chip — for betting
  24. perch — the fish

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