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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. root — the cause
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mug — a cup
  6. track — a song
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. mug — a face
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. band — a ring
  15. root — of a plant
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bat — the animal
  18. scale — in music
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. band — a music group
  21. track — a path
  22. root — of a word
  23. kick — in football
  24. band — a rubber band

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