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: calf · tube · track · degree · mark · straw · bear · pop

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pop — music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. track — a song
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. degree — temperature
  9. track — to keep track
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. degree — from a university
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. degree — an amount
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pop — soda
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. track — a path
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bear — the animal

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