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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. root — of a word
  3. file — a line of people
  4. spring — a coil
  5. file — a tool
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. track — a path
  11. net — for catching
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. file — a document
  15. root — of a plant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. spring — the season
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. track — a song

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