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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. firm — a company
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rash — a series
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. track — a path
  16. bound — tied together
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — certain
  24. bound — obliged

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