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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. band — a ring
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — a song
  14. mark — a trace
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. track — a path

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