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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bank — for money
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. field — a subject
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. track — a path
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bank — of a river
  18. field — for sport
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. field — farmland
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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