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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. track — to keep track
  3. root — of a plant
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. track — a path
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — there
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. wind — moving air
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. present — a gift
  14. root — the cause
  15. toast — bread
  16. root — of a word
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — a tin
  19. track — a song
  20. net — for catching
  21. date — the fruit
  22. net — in sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. date — on the calendar

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