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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. track — a path
  3. staff — a stick
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. track — a song
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a grade
  12. staff — employees
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. fine — all right
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mark — a trace
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — to sink
  22. fine — high quality
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — to keep track

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