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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. track — to keep track
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. track — a song
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wake — a trail
  11. spell — magic
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. march — music
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. track — a path
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. race — a contest
  21. spell — letters
  22. race — humankind
  23. snap — to click
  24. race — the arms race

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