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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. season — in sport
  3. bank — for money
  4. root — the cause
  5. bank — of a river
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bear — the animal
  9. content — happy
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. track — a song
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bank — for money
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. content — the amount
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bear — the animal
  20. track — a path
  21. season — of the year
  22. wax — to grow
  23. root — of a word
  24. wax — in the ear

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