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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. lean — to bend
  6. snap — to click
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. perch — the fish
  9. wound — an injury
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stand — to bear
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — on your feet

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