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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. fall — to drop
  3. spell — a short time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rush — hurry
  9. stock — shares
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fall — the season
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mug — a face
  16. spell — letters
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fall — to drop
  19. spell — magic
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. wound — an injury
  24. track — a path

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