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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. key — for a lock
  3. track — a song
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. tear — from crying
  7. track — a path
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — the amount
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. tear — from crying
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. key — in music
  14. content — happy
  15. charge — in control
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cold — an illness
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. root — the cause
  22. track — to keep track
  23. root — of a word
  24. tear — to rip

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