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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: root · bank · fork · coach · ground · current · deal · cue

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — a position
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — of a river
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. current — of water
  11. root — the cause
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bank — for money
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ground — the earth
  16. cue — for pool
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — of a word
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. root — of a plant
  24. ground — crushed

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