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 · net · bore · rock · can · present · court · roll

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. present — there
  3. track — to keep track
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rock — music
  7. roll — a list
  8. track — a path
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. court — of law
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. present — the time now
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. bore — to drill
  17. roll — a cake
  18. court — of a king
  19. track — a song
  20. can — to be able to
  21. court — for sport
  22. can — a tin
  23. present — a gift
  24. can — a tin

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