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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. track — to keep track
  20. chest — of your body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. chest — a box
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bay — a horse colour

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