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: snap · track · cabinet · safe · row · tube · leaves · ball

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a dance
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. tube — a container
  15. track — a song
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. row — a line
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. snap — to click
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. row — to paddle
  24. track — to keep track

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