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: jam · current · mouse · dip · kid · temple · tube · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tube — a container
  4. current — of water
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. track — a song
  7. kid — to tease
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. kid — child
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. current — electric
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. current — happening now
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. dip — to sink
  24. tube — the underground

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