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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pop — music
  6. track — to keep track
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mark — a trace
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ground — the earth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pop — soda
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ground — a position
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a document
  22. track — a path
  23. ground — crushed
  24. track — a song

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