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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wound — an injury
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. scale — in music
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — of a word
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. root — the cause
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. root — of a plant

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