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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · roll · band · stick · hide · lash

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. roll — a cake
  7. band — a music group
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. band — a ring
  12. track — a song
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. roll — a list
  15. track — a path
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. 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