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: root · bay · mouse · cue · mug · track · rest · bulb

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. root — of a word
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cue — a hint
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. track — a song
  14. mug — a face
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — a break
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — to rob
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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