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 120 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 · deal · track · stem · field · bound · chip · rash

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. track — a song
  10. rash — hasty
  11. track — a path
  12. chip — to eat
  13. field — for sport
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bound — certain
  17. stem — to come from
  18. deal — to handle
  19. field — a subject
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bound — obliged
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. field — farmland
  24. rash — a series

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