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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. rash — a series
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. suit — to fit
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. suit — in cards
  12. track — a path
  13. rash — hasty
  14. capital — money
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bark — to shout
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. capital — a city
  22. track — a song
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pit — in a race

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