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: foot · track · fork · jam · scale · band · ground · club

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. band — a music group
  3. track — to keep track
  4. club — for dancing
  5. band — a ring
  6. track — a song
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ground — the earth
  9. scale — in music
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. ground — crushed
  12. club — a group
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. track — a path
  21. fork — in a road
  22. club — for golf
  23. scale — size or range
  24. jam — a tight spot

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