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: spring · nail · bay · current · prune · mate · track · racket

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — happening now
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. prune — to trim
  9. track — a song
  10. current — of water
  11. spring — of water
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. current — electric
  14. mate — a partner
  15. spring — the season
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. prune — to trim
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spring — a coil
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. track — to keep track
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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