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 116 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: row · tube · root · pass · content · dip · bat · staff

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bat — the animal
  4. row — a line
  5. root — of a word
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. root — the cause
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. tube — a container
  14. staff — a stick
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. root — of a plant
  17. content — the amount
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. content — happy
  20. row — to paddle
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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