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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. track — to keep track
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. kick — in football
  6. face — to confront
  7. wind — moving air
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a path
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. track — a song
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. face — to point toward
  24. branch — of a bank

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