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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — the animal
  4. root — of a word
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pound — a weight
  11. track — a song
  12. fine — all right
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. track — a path
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. track — to keep track
  19. root — the cause
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. file — a document
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fine — high quality
  24. file — a tool

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