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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. root — of a word
  5. root — of a plant
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. game — a match
  8. bank — for money
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. track — a path
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fine — all right
  13. foot — a measure
  14. fine — high quality
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bank — for money
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. roll — a list
  20. track — a song
  21. root — the cause
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bank — of a river
  24. game — wild animals

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