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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. track — a song
  3. spring — of water
  4. track — a path
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — a company
  7. drill — the tool
  8. spring — the season
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. drill — army training
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. root — of a plant
  13. track — to keep track
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a music group
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — of a word
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. root — the cause
  20. spring — a coil
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — decided
  24. band — a ring

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