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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spring — a coil
  4. last — finally
  5. bass — low music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. wound — an injury
  9. spring — of water
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wound — an injury
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. spring — the season
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. scale — in music
  23. ground — a position
  24. root — of a word

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