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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. root — of a plant
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. root — the cause
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. tear — to rip
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. key — in music
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — the most important part
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mark — a grade
  17. tear — from crying
  18. root — of a word
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mark — a trace
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. ball — a great time

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