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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rock — music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mark — a trace
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. spring — the season
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. mark — a grade
  19. spring — of water
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a song
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — to bear
  24. track — a path

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