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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  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. pop — to visit
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. root — of a word
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. ball — a dance
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ball — a great time
  10. row — a line
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pop — music
  15. board — a committee
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — the fruit
  21. row — to paddle
  22. pop — soda
  23. root — the cause
  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