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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. root — of a word
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. root — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. track — a path
  12. row — a line
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. row — to paddle
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. fine — all right
  23. root — the cause
  24. stand — on your feet

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