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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. firm — a company
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. track — a song
  12. firm — steady
  13. pit — a hole
  14. ball — a dance
  15. firm — decided
  16. root — the cause
  17. track — a path
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. root — of a word
  22. pit — in a race
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. band — a music group

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