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: racket · firm · pitcher · pound · content · track · rule · hide

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. track — a path
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rule — a law
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. firm — a company
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. content — the amount
  11. pound — a weight
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. track — a song
  14. firm — decided
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. content — happy
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rule — government
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. hide — to keep secret

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