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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — a trail
  5. track — a song
  6. bound — tied together
  7. pound — a weight
  8. mark — a trace
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mine — for digging
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — music
  17. bound — certain
  18. rock — a stone
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. track — to keep track
  24. stem — to come from

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