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: craft · pass · foot · game · field · perch · saw · chip

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. pass — a permit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. field — for sport
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. perch — the fish
  11. field — farmland
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. game — wild animals
  15. chip — for betting
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. foot — a measure
  20. saw — the tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. chip — to eat
  24. craft — a skill

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