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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cue — a hint
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. tear — to rip
  10. craft — boats
  11. cue — a signal
  12. hand — help
  13. tear — from crying
  14. track — a path
  15. rash — a series
  16. track — a song
  17. object — to protest
  18. craft — a skill
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cue — for pool
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rash — hasty

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