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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. field — a subject
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. firm — a company
  11. date — the fruit
  12. firm — steady
  13. pit — a hole
  14. field — farmland
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bass — the fish
  17. firm — decided
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bat — the animal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. field — for sport

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