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: root · foot · land · can · roll · drill · present · date

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. root — of a word
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. roll — a cake
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. present — there
  9. present — the time now
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. date — the fruit
  12. land — ground
  13. root — of a plant
  14. present — a gift
  15. drill — army training
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. root — the cause
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. foot — a measure
  24. land — a country

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