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 · mark · mine · kid · branch · pass · straw · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. track — a path
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. branch — a division
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — to keep track
  14. kid — to tease
  15. track — a song
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ball — a great time
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. kid — child
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. mine — an explosive

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