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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mark — a grade
  5. board — a committee
  6. pop — to visit
  7. board — to get on
  8. face — to point toward
  9. clip — to cut
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — soda
  12. track — a path
  13. suit — clothes
  14. clip — for paper
  15. track — a song
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. face — to confront
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pop — music
  23. clip — a video
  24. face — part of the head

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