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 120 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. drill — army training
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. mark — a trace
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. drill — the tool
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. mark — a grade
  16. track — to keep track
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. game — a match
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. bear — the animal

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