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: land · trunk · track · firm · mark · object · present · press

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. present — there
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mark — a grade
  5. firm — decided
  6. track — to keep track
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. present — the time now
  9. press — to push
  10. object — to protest
  11. press — newspapers
  12. object — a thing
  13. press — a publisher
  14. land — to come down
  15. firm — steady
  16. land — ground
  17. firm — a company
  18. present — a gift
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. object — an aim
  22. mark — a trace
  23. land — a country
  24. track — a path

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