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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. file — a tool
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. track — a path
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bank — for money
  22. file — a line of people
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bank — of a river

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