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: track · wake · game · capital · toast · club · bay · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wake — a trail
  5. cell — a phone
  6. club — for dancing
  7. track — to keep track
  8. club — for golf
  9. track — a path
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. capital — a city
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — money
  17. game — a match
  18. cell — in biology
  19. toast — bread
  20. track — a song
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. club — a group
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. toast — the most admired

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