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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. root — of a word
  3. file — a document
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. file — a tool
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — of a river
  9. root — of a plant
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. file — a line of people
  14. face — to confront
  15. pound — a weight
  16. bank — for money
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. face — part of the head
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. root — the cause

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