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 · foot · mark · mouse · bear · land · snap · pitcher

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a song
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. track — a path
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. land — ground
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. snap — to click
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. mark — a grade
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. foot — a measure

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