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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bank — of a river
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. track — to keep track
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. track — a song
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wind — moving air

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