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: rush · scale · spring · hand · snap · bore · bound · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. scale — in music
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bound — certain
  6. scale — size or range
  7. snap — to click
  8. bound — tied together
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. track — a song
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hand — help
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rush — hurry
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spring — the season
  22. bound — obliged
  23. spring — of water
  24. hand — in cards

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