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: present · foot · cap · bark · roll · safe · root · wound

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. present — there
  5. wound — an injury
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — an injury
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cap — a hat
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. root — the cause
  16. cap — of ice
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. cap — a lid
  19. present — the time now
  20. root — of a word
  21. roll — a list
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. present — a gift
  24. bark — to shout

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