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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. deal — to handle
  6. root — of a word
  7. chair — a leader
  8. track — a path
  9. track — a song
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — in control
  12. craft — a skill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — a price
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. craft — boats
  18. saw — the tool
  19. perch — the fish
  20. charge — electricity
  21. root — the cause
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — a handicraft

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