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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. track — a song
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. shower — to wash
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. foot — a measure
  8. court — of law
  9. track — a path
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. court — of a king
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. shower — rain
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. court — for sport
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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