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: bay · root · band · safe · game · bear · firm · rule

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. firm — decided
  5. game — a match
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. root — of a word
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. band — a ring
  11. rule — government
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rule — a law
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — a company
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a music group
  20. root — of a plant
  21. firm — steady
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — a strongbox

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