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: pop · bulb · jam · spring · mug · pass · track · rule

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. spring — a coil
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pop — music
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pop — to visit
  10. spring — of water
  11. track — a song
  12. mug — to rob
  13. spring — the season
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — soda
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. rule — government
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mug — a cup

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