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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — a trail
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. chest — of your body
  11. toast — bread
  12. deal — to handle
  13. swing — to play on
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — to recline
  20. chest — a box
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. track — a path
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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