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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. lean — thin
  3. scale — size or range
  4. track — to keep track
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. scale — in music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. capital — a city
  10. swing — to play on
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. swing — music
  14. craft — a skill
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — a path
  18. capital — money
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lean — to bend

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