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: lean · charge · lash · track · field · scale · tear · mark

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. track — a path
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. charge — a price
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tear — from crying
  9. track — a song
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — in control
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — a subject
  14. lean — to bend
  15. charge — electricity
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. tear — to rip
  18. scale — in music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lean — thin
  21. scale — size or range
  22. tear — from crying
  23. field — for sport
  24. mark — a trace

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