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: bass · root · track · squash · last · fine · perch · branch

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. last — to go on
  8. fine — high quality
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. track — to keep track
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. fine — all right
  13. perch — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. branch — a division
  16. last — final
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — the sport
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. squash — to crush
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. last — finally

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