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 120 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tear — from crying
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. press — newspapers
  5. march — the month
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. tear — to rip
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — to push
  14. cue — a signal
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. pound — a weight
  18. foot — a measure
  19. tear — from crying
  20. cue — for pool
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cue — a hint
  24. trunk — of a tree

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