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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — of water
  8. wake — a trail
  9. spring — the season
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. present — there
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. present — the time now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. present — a gift
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. drill — army training
  24. ball — a great time

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