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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. track — a path
  3. face — to point toward
  4. face — to confront
  5. club — for golf
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rush — hurry
  12. club — a group
  13. track — to keep track
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pop — music
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. club — for dancing
  21. face — part of the head
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. track — a song
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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