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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. lie — to recline
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — clever
  18. root — the cause

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