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: bowl · mark · root · lie · pit · bay · dip · row

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. row — a line
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pit — a hole

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