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: safe · wake · coach · racket · track · march · present · tear

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. tear — from crying
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. present — there
  5. track — a song
  6. march — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. march — the month
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. track — a path
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tear — to rip
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. march — the month
  19. wake — a trail
  20. present — a gift
  21. tear — from crying
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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