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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. wake — a trail
  6. root — of a word
  7. cap — of ice
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. root — of a plant
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — a path
  13. band — a ring
  14. branch — a division
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — a hat
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. band — a music group
  19. bass — low music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. track — a song
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. track — to keep track

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