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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. track — a song
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wake — a trail
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stock — shares
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stock — goods
  16. track — a path
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. toast — bread
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — the most admired

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