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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fine — all right
  3. track — a path
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. swing — music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — a song
  8. swing — in golf
  9. field — farmland
  10. chest — of your body
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chest — a box
  14. chest — of your body
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — high quality
  18. field — for sport
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. field — a subject
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. swing — to play on
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — of a tree

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