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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — decided
  3. root — of a word
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. root — the cause
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. pop — music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rule — a law
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — government
  15. march — music
  16. root — of a plant
  17. pop — soda
  18. wound — an injury
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pop — to visit
  22. firm — steady
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rule — to rule out

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