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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bound — obliged
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — help
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. row — a line
  13. fine — all right
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bound — certain

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