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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. root — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. toast — bread
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cell — in biology
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. root — the cause
  15. cell — a phone
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — all right
  19. wake — a trail
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fine — high quality
  23. straw — a straw man
  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