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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. track — a path
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. foot — a measure
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — a song
  10. bass — the fish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wake — a trail
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — the tool
  16. bank — for money
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bass — low music
  21. bank — of a river
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — of the year
  24. drill — a practice

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