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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a path
  3. field — for sport
  4. clip — for paper
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. clip — a video
  8. bank — for money
  9. field — farmland
  10. track — a song
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. clip — to cut
  24. field — a subject

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