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: saw · suit · cabinet · track · stand · chip · mug · foot

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. suit — to fit
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. track — a song
  11. mug — to rob
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mug — a cup
  16. chip — for betting
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. mug — a face
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. track — a path
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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