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: content · track · pop · fall · nail · lie · bay · bowl

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fall — to drop
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pop — soda
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. track — a path
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fall — the season
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — the amount
  17. pop — music
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. track — a song
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. content — happy
  24. track — to keep track

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