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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stand — to bear
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. fork — in a road
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. root — the cause
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. land — ground
  11. track — a path
  12. present — a gift
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — there
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. present — the time now
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. track — a song
  21. root — of a word
  22. land — to come down
  23. land — a country
  24. trunk — of a car

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