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: drill · squash · root · charge · cell · branch · safe · bass

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. root — of a word
  3. drill — the tool
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bass — the fish
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cell — a phone
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cell — in biology
  18. branch — a division
  19. root — the cause
  20. bass — low music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. drill — a practice

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