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: fan · root · bank · straw · bowl · last · foot · jam

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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. foot — a measure
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. last — to go on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — of a plant
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. last — final
  19. root — of a word
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. last — finally
  22. bank — for money
  23. jam — in traffic
  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