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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. root — the cause
  4. content — happy
  5. firm — steady
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. root — of a word
  8. firm — a company
  9. craft — a skill
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. craft — boats
  12. firm — decided
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. content — the amount
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. root — of a plant
  18. dip — to sink

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