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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rash — hasty
  3. track — a song
  4. row — to paddle
  5. band — a ring
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. staff — a stick
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. kick — in football
  13. track — to keep track
  14. object — to protest
  15. rash — a series
  16. track — a path
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. band — a music group
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a dance
  23. row — a line
  24. object — an aim

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