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: rush · season · bay · track · row · pit · cap · bark

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. row — to paddle
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. track — a song
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. row — a line
  9. cap — a hat
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. season — of the year
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pit — in a race
  17. season — in sport
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. track — a path
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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