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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wound — an injury
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a song
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tear — from crying
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bark — to shout
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. track — a path
  16. rest — a break
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. tear — from crying

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