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 120 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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stock — shares
  3. row — a line
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. row — to paddle
  6. swing — to play on
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. clip — a video
  9. root — the cause
  10. bass — the fish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bass — low music
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. root — of a plant
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. stock — goods
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. foot — a measure

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