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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. deal — to handle
  3. track — a path
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pop — music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chest — of your body
  8. march — the month
  9. pop — to visit
  10. chest — a box
  11. march — the month
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pop — soda
  17. march — music
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. track — a song
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. leaves — to go away

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