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 116 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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. fall — to drop
  3. root — of a plant
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fall — to drop
  6. root — of a word
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rock — music
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rock — a stone
  17. root — the cause
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. track — a song
  20. fall — the season
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. track — a path
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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