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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. track — a path
  5. pop — soda
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. current — electric
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stand — to bear
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wax — to grow
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. current — of water
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. current — happening now
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — music
  23. drill — a practice
  24. wound — an injury

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