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: scale · row · stick · coach · shower · swing · root · band

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. row — a line
  3. root — the cause
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — to wash
  6. band — a music group
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — music
  11. band — a ring
  12. shower — rain
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. root — of a word
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. row — to paddle
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. scale — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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