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: march · safe · fall · rush · key · root · track · saw

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. key — the most important part
  3. march — music
  4. rush — hurry
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — in music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. march — the month
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. fall — to drop
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. fall — the season
  19. root — the cause
  20. fall — to drop
  21. saw — the tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. track — a path
  24. march — the month

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