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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. track — a song
  5. content — happy
  6. track — a path
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. board — a committee
  14. object — an aim
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — there
  19. board — to get on
  20. content — the amount
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — videos and posts

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