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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. track — a song
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. can — a tin
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. field — farmland
  9. tear — to rip
  10. tear — from crying
  11. can — a tin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. field — a subject
  14. field — for sport
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tear — from crying
  17. track — to keep track
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — the animal
  22. present — there
  23. track — a path
  24. can — to be able to

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