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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. stand — to bear
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bat — the animal
  9. scale — size or range
  10. mark — a grade
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. track — a path
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. snap — to click
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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