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: mark · mouse · racket · wake · stem · fall · track · chair

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. stem — to come from
  9. track — a path
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. fall — to drop
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — a trail
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. chair — a leader
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mark — a trace

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