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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. net — for catching
  4. rush — hurry
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. land — ground
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. season — of the year
  13. deal — to handle
  14. net — after costs
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. season — in sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — in sport
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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