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 · track · ruler · bass · wound · ball · cap · coach

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. root — the cause
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cap — of ice
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bass — the fish
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bass — low music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cap — a hat
  18. root — of a word
  19. ball — a great time
  20. cap — a lid
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. root — of a plant
  24. coach — a trainer

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