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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — shares
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — goods
  16. tube — a container
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — music

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