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: track · last · wake · key · racket · bore · kid · spring

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. bore — to tire
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. key — in music
  7. last — to go on
  8. spring — a coil
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wake — a trail
  12. kid — child
  13. kid — to tease
  14. track — to keep track
  15. last — finally
  16. spring — of water
  17. track — a path
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bore — to drill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — final
  23. key — for a lock
  24. spring — the season

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