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: track · root · fine · bank · jam · mate · can · cold

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cold — not warm
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. track — a path
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mate — a friend
  9. can — a tin
  10. track — to keep track
  11. root — of a word
  12. cold — an illness
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — to be able to
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. track — a song
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bank — for money
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fine — all right
  22. can — a tin
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. bank — for money

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