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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — the cause
  3. content — happy
  4. band — a music group
  5. plane — a tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. band — a ring
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. root — of a word
  14. craft — boats
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. root — of a plant
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. craft — a skill

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