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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. present — a gift
  5. mark — a grade
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. field — for sport
  8. dip — to sink
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — to keep track
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wax — to grow
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. track — a path
  17. field — a subject
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. mark — a trace
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. field — farmland
  23. track — a song
  24. wax — in the ear

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