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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. band — a music group
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wound — an injury
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. track — a song
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — a path
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. band — a ring
  24. fall — the season

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