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: band · deal · pass · dip · racket · root · bank · foot

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. band — a music group
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bank — of a river
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pass — a permit
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. band — a ring
  16. root — the cause
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bank — for money
  19. foot — a measure
  20. root — of a word
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bank — for money
  24. pass — to spend time

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