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: bay · field · race · pit · stand · current · mine · lash

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pit — a hole
  4. race — a contest
  5. pit — in a race
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mine — for digging
  16. field — for sport
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. field — a subject
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. field — farmland
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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