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: cell · mate · mark · foot · pit · dip · bore · root

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. foot — a measure
  3. dip — to sink
  4. cell — a phone
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. pit — in a race
  13. mate — to breed
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — a hole
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bore — to tire
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. root — the cause
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — to drill

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