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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. mate — to breed
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fall — the season
  6. can — to be able to
  7. race — a contest
  8. mate — a partner
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. race — humankind
  12. fall — to drop
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. track — a path
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. track — a song
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cell — a phone
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cell — in biology
  24. can — a tin

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