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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. track — a song
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. charge — a price
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bass — low music
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. track — a path
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bass — the fish
  20. charge — in control
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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