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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. content — the amount
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lean — thin
  19. content — happy
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. track — a song
  24. rest — a break

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