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: object · bass · ruler · roll · root · game · face · mark

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mark — a grade
  5. root — the cause
  6. object — an aim
  7. roll — a list
  8. object — to protest
  9. bass — the fish
  10. object — a thing
  11. roll — a cake
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mark — a trace
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bass — low music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. root — of a plant
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. face — to confront
  21. game — a match
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. face — part of the head

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