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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. land — a country
  3. field — for sport
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — to keep track
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. field — a subject
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. track — a song
  15. land — to come down
  16. mug — to rob
  17. land — ground
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. track — a path
  20. field — farmland
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — a cup
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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