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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. last — final
  3. mate — a partner
  4. root — of a word
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — shares
  9. root — the cause
  10. last — to go on
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. spring — of water
  18. last — finally
  19. stock — goods
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mate — a friend
  24. spring — the season

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