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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. board — to get on
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. degree — temperature
  7. hand — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. hand — help
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — from a university
  15. suit — in cards
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. degree — an amount
  20. tube — a container
  21. track — a song
  22. suit — to fit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. track — to keep track

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