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 120 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 · rush · key · sharp · pass · hide · charge · foot

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. rush — hurry
  3. key — the most important part
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pass — a permit
  8. track — a song
  9. charge — electricity
  10. foot — a measure
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. track — a path
  14. charge — in control
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. key — for a lock
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — in music

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