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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. roll — a cake
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rest — a break
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rule — a law
  7. roll — a list
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rule — government
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — of a word
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bank — for money
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — the cause
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bank — for money

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