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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. root — of a word
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. root — the cause
  10. mark — a grade
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bound — tied together
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. bound — certain
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. track — a path
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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