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 116 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. season — of the year
  5. mate — a friend
  6. track — a song
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. key — for a lock
  15. track — a path
  16. key — the most important part
  17. dip — to sink
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. key — in music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. season — in 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