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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. track — a song
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. track — a path
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. perch — the fish
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spring — the season
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. tube — a container
  15. snap — to click
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. tube — the underground
  19. track — to keep track
  20. spring — of water
  21. bass — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. spring — a coil

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