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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. field — for sport
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — a song
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. content — the amount
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. field — a subject
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — farmland
  18. content — happy
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. track — to keep track
  21. toast — bread
  22. wind — moving air
  23. track — a path
  24. squash — the sport

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