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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. track — a path
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. deal — to handle
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. track — a song
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. sharp — clever
  12. tube — the underground
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. branch — a division
  17. lie — to recline
  18. tube — a container
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. vault — a safe
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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