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: rash · calf · fall · spring · track · hide · ruler · bay

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. spring — the season
  5. track — a path
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. spring — of water
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — hasty
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fall — the season
  24. calf — a young animal

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