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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. track — a song
  14. rule — government
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rule — a law
  20. plane — a tool
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ruler — for measuring

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