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: stand · track · rash · ruler · cap · wake · present · chip

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chip — for betting
  4. track — a path
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a song
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. present — a gift
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — the time now
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. present — there
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rash — a series
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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