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: straw · nail · sharp · bank · mine · hide · track · toast

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. track — to keep track
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bank — of a river
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. track — a song
  16. bank — for money
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. mine — for digging
  20. track — a path
  21. toast — bread
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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