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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. scale — size or range
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. track — a song
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. scale — in music
  17. content — the amount
  18. bore — to drill
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — completely
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. content — happy

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