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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. track — a song
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. track — to keep track
  8. plane — a tool
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. pop — soda
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. track — a path
  14. content — happy
  15. pop — music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. key — the most important part
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. content — the amount

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