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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. object — to protest
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pop — soda
  5. track — a song
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bank — for money
  8. pop — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. object — a thing
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — an aim
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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