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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. squash — to crush
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. deal — to handle
  6. suit — in cards
  7. content — the amount
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. content — happy
  10. squash — the sport
  11. track — a path
  12. rash — a series
  13. track — a song
  14. last — final
  15. suit — clothes
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rash — hasty
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. squash — the vegetable

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