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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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. spell — a short time
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. root — of a plant
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. spell — letters
  6. mark — a trace
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spell — magic
  10. field — for sport
  11. rock — music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — a container
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. root — of a word
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — a trail
  18. root — the cause
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. field — farmland
  22. rock — a stone
  23. field — a subject
  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