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: mug · date · bore · vault · track · rush · cap · bound

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. track — to keep track
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bore — to tire
  7. cap — a lid
  8. date — the fruit
  9. rush — hurry
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bore — to drill
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bound — certain
  16. mug — to rob
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. track — a path
  21. mug — a cup
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. mug — a face
  24. bore — gave birth

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