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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cell — in biology
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. track — a path
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cell — a phone
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. current — happening now
  9. ball — a dance
  10. drill — a practice
  11. current — electric
  12. club — for dancing
  13. can — a tin
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. track — a song
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. drill — army training
  22. ball — a great time
  23. current — of water
  24. kick — in football

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