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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. wake — a trail
  6. track — a song
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. squash — to crush
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. jam — in traffic

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