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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. shower — to wash
  5. sharp — clever
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. track — a path
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. pound — a weight
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. object — an aim
  15. root — of a word
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. root — of a plant
  21. track — a song
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. shower — rain
  24. sharp — with an edge

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