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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. root — of a plant
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. root — the cause
  7. roll — a list
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — a company
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. march — music
  13. march — the month
  14. firm — steady
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. root — of a word
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. date — the fruit

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