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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. row — to paddle
  3. suit — in cards
  4. chair — a leader
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. fall — to drop
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fall — the season
  14. track — a song
  15. rock — a stone
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. row — a line
  20. kick — in football
  21. charge — in control
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. charge — a price

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