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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — clothes
  4. vault — a safe
  5. track — a path
  6. pop — to visit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. prune — to trim
  9. track — a song
  10. kid — child
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pop — soda
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rule — a law
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pop — music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rule — government
  21. kid — to tease
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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