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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cap — a hat
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cap — of ice
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. fine — all right
  18. cap — a lid
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. tube — in a tire

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