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: racket · present · pop · bank · chair · march · safe · root

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. root — the cause
  5. present — a gift
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bank — for money
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pop — to visit
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. present — the time now
  13. root — of a word
  14. chair — a leader
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. present — there
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — soda
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. march — music

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