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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — high quality
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. tear — to rip
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — the cause
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. tear — from crying
  18. fine — all right
  19. pit — a hole
  20. root — of a word
  21. row — to paddle
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. suit — to fit
  24. tear — from crying

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