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: pit · foot · fine · bass · band · root · track · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bass — the fish
  3. band — a ring
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pit — in a race
  6. band — a music group
  7. pit — a hole
  8. track — a song
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. fall — to drop
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. root — of a word
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bass — low music
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. root — the cause
  21. foot — a measure
  22. fine — all right
  23. track — a path
  24. fall — to drop

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