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: craft · coach · track · bay · cap · rash · key · fall

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. rash — hasty
  3. key — the most important part
  4. cap — of ice
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a path
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rash — a series
  9. key — in music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. craft — boats
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cap — a hat
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fall — the season
  20. fall — to drop
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fall — to drop
  24. track — a song

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