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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. swing — in golf
  4. net — after costs
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. root — of a word
  7. track — a path
  8. mine — for digging
  9. track — a song
  10. swing — to play on
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wake — a trail
  13. net — in sport
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. root — the cause
  17. stand — to bear
  18. net — for catching
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. track — to keep track
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. root — of a plant
  24. swing — music

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