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 120 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 · mine · fine · pitch · bank · rock · mark · root

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. root — of a word
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bank — of a river
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bank — for money
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mark — a grade
  11. root — of a plant
  12. cell — a phone
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bank — for money
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fine — all right
  24. root — the cause

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