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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. content — the amount
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. root — of a word
  5. drill — army training
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fine — all right
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pass — a permit
  12. root — the cause
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. content — happy
  18. cap — a hat
  19. root — of a plant
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bound — certain
  23. plane — a tool
  24. content — videos and posts

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