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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — to get on
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. board — a committee
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pass — a permit
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. root — the cause
  15. root — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — to sink
  18. drill — army training
  19. stock — shares
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. stock — goods
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. dip — a sauce

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