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: spell · roll · tube · ground · track · sharp · mark · current

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. sharp — clever
  6. roll — a list
  7. track — a path
  8. current — happening now
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tube — a container
  11. spell — a short time
  12. track — to keep track
  13. spell — magic
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mark — a grade
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. current — electric
  20. spell — letters
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. current — of water
  24. roll — a cake

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