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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — a path
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pop — soda
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. roll — a cake
  12. track — a song
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pop — music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. roll — a list
  19. last — final
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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