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 120 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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. court — of law
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. track — a path
  9. squash — to crush
  10. track — a song
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bat — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pop — music
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pit — in a race
  19. court — for sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pit — a hole
  22. squash — the sport
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — of a king

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