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 · mine · cap · trunk · bass · rash · suit · nail

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — a lid
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rash — hasty
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mine — for digging
  15. rash — a series
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bass — the fish
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cap — of ice
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bass — low music

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