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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. can — a tin
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. saw — the tool
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. saw — the tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. track — a path
  18. drill — the tool
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. track — a song
  24. drill — army training

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