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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a path
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. chest — a box
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mark — a trace
  14. chest — of your body
  15. track — a song
  16. pop — soda
  17. chest — of your body
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. snap — to click
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pop — to visit
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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