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 116 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. track — to keep track
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — shares
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. hand — help
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cue — a signal
  11. stock — goods
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bass — the fish
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pound — a weight
  20. track — a path
  21. track — a song
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bass — low music
  24. root — of a word

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