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: track · snap · can · content · pass · rest · rock · cabinet

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. track — a song
  4. can — to be able to
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rest — what's left
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — the amount
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rest — what's left
  12. can — a tin
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. rest — a break
  16. content — happy
  17. snap — to click
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. track — a path
  24. pass — a permit

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