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 · shower · mine · roll · straw · suit

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. track — to keep track
  6. roll — a list
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. track — a song
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. track — a path
  12. suit — in cards
  13. shower — to wash
  14. suit — clothes
  15. shower — rain
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — to fit
  18. straw — a straw man

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