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: band · cell · can · mouse · track · lean · field · kick

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. field — farmland
  3. cell — in biology
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. track — a path
  6. field — a subject
  7. can — a tin
  8. band — a music group
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cell — a phone
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. kick — in football
  13. band — a ring
  14. can — a tin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. field — for sport
  18. track — to keep track
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. lean — thin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. track — a song

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