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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pop — music
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. firm — steady
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — a song
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ground — crushed
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — a company
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fork — in a road
  24. ground — a position

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