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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mark — a trace
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. date — the fruit
  8. dip — to sink
  9. object — a thing
  10. track — a song
  11. tube — a container
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. roll — a list
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bat — the animal
  23. roll — a cake
  24. track — to keep track

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