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: drill · bound · calf · dip · track · firm · mark · bat

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — a path
  3. mark — a trace
  4. drill — army training
  5. bound — certain
  6. drill — a practice
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. firm — a company
  11. bat — the animal
  12. firm — decided
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. firm — steady
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bound — obliged

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