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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. object — an aim
  3. track — a song
  4. land — a country
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. can — a tin
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. game — a match
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — ground
  12. dip — to sink
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. object — to protest
  15. can — to be able to
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bulb — for light
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. land — to come down
  23. track — a path
  24. object — a thing

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