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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. fall — the season
  3. track — to keep track
  4. squash — to crush
  5. root — of a word
  6. chip — for betting
  7. squash — the sport
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. chip — to eat
  13. track — a song
  14. fall — to drop
  15. root — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — the cause
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — in a computer

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