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: foot · track · stick · can · bear · rest · clip · chip

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rest — what's left
  4. can — to be able to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rest — a break
  10. can — a tin
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. clip — to cut
  13. track — to keep track
  14. clip — a video
  15. track — a song
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. chip — to eat
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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