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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. face — to point toward
  4. row — to paddle
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tear — to rip
  7. row — a line
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. track — a path
  11. mark — a trace
  12. tear — from crying
  13. face — to confront
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mug — a face
  17. tear — from crying
  18. mug — a cup
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bear — the animal
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mark — a grade
  23. track — to keep track
  24. face — part of the head

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