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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wake — a trail
  3. degree — temperature
  4. track — a path
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rest — a break
  9. lean — to bend
  10. degree — an amount
  11. rest — what's left
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. craft — boats
  16. band — a music group
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lean — thin
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. band — a ring

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