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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. root — of a plant
  3. bore — to tire
  4. saw — the tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. root — of a word
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ball — a great time
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fine — all right
  13. root — the cause
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bass — low music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. key — for a lock
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fine — high quality

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