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: date · tear · dip · rock · calf · foot · land · root

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. root — the cause
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. root — of a plant
  5. rock — music
  6. tear — to rip
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. land — ground
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. tear — from crying
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. land — a country
  16. dip — to sink
  17. tear — from crying
  18. date — the fruit
  19. root — of a word
  20. rock — a stone
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. dip — a sauce

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