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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — in music
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. track — a song
  7. band — a music group
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. key — the most important part
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pop — music
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pop — to visit
  17. band — a ring
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. track — a path
  21. mine — for digging
  22. chip — to eat
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pop — soda

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