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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. deal — to handle
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. stock — goods
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rest — a break
  10. rest — what's left
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bound — certain
  13. rest — what's left
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. root — of a plant
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bound — tied together
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — a position
  21. stock — shares
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. root — the cause

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