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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. root — the cause
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. root — of a word
  7. mark — a trace
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. lean — thin
  13. mine — for digging
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bass — the fish
  18. date — the fruit
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bass — low music

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