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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bass — low music
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — a song
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. drill — a practice
  11. ground — the earth
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bound — certain
  19. pit — in a race
  20. drill — army training
  21. ground — a position
  22. bound — tied together
  23. root — of a word
  24. root — the cause

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