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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. band — a ring
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fine — all right
  22. band — a music group
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. nail — for a hammer

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