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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. tube — a container
  5. spell — magic
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stock — goods
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fall — the season
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fall — to drop
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stock — shares
  20. track — a song
  21. tube — the underground
  22. spell — letters
  23. fall — to drop
  24. spell — a short time

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