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: wake · track · pass · row · bear · kick · face · dip

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pass — a permit
  3. row — to paddle
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. track — a song
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bear — the animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. wake — a trail
  11. row — a line
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bear — the animal
  17. dip — to sink
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. face — to point toward
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. face — part of the head
  24. row — a quarrel

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