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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lean — to bend
  3. season — in sport
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mark — a trace
  6. board — a committee
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. cue — a signal
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cue — a hint
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — of the year
  20. cue — for pool
  21. board — to get on
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. track — a path
  24. lean — thin

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