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: march · track · ground · key · arm · safe · wave · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. track — to keep track
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. ground — crushed
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. track — a song
  8. key — the most important part
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. march — music
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. track — a path
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — a line
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — a position
  21. key — for a lock
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. key — in music
  24. safe — out of danger

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