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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pit — in a race
  5. scale — size or range
  6. drill — a practice
  7. perch — the fish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. scale — in music
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. root — the cause
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mine — for digging

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