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: chip · pit · fall · pop · bark · can · ground · track

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pop — to visit
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ground — crushed
  5. can — a tin
  6. track — a song
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ground — a position
  12. track — a path
  13. fall — the season
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ground — the earth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pop — music
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pop — soda
  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