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 · squash · land · stick · rock · wax · straw · fan

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. track — a song
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — music
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. squash — the sport
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — to crush
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. fan — a supporter

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