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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pitch — completely
  7. track — a path
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. scale — size or range
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mug — a cup
  17. track — a song
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. board — a committee
  20. mug — a face
  21. scale — in music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mug — to rob
  24. board — to get on

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