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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chest — of your body
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. root — the cause
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chest — a box
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a plant
  10. chest — of your body
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bound — tied together
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. track — a path
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. board — a committee
  19. bound — certain
  20. tube — a container
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — to get on
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bound — obliged

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