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: bear · bulb · court · bank · jam · dip · face · root

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. court — for sport
  3. root — of a word
  4. face — to point toward
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. face — to confront
  9. face — part of the head
  10. court — of law
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bulb — for light
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. root — the cause
  17. bank — for money
  18. root — of a plant
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. dip — to sink
  21. bank — for money
  22. bear — the animal
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bear — to put up with

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