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: bass · pitcher · pass · saw · track · bore · bank · prune

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pass — a permit
  3. track — a path
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bank — for money
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — low music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. saw — the tool

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