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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — to confront
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. face — part of the head
  8. mark — a grade
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. key — the most important part
  14. track — a path
  15. root — of a plant
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. root — of a word
  21. face — to point toward
  22. track — a song
  23. track — to keep track
  24. trunk — of a car

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