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: craft · nail · drill · last · chair · roll · date · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. date — the fruit
  5. chair — a leader
  6. drill — the tool
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. roll — a list
  10. root — of a plant
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. roll — a cake
  13. drill — army training
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. last — to go on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. last — final
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. root — of a word
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. last — finally

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