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: rock · root · drill · game · dip · bass · tear · bay

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. dip — to dunk
  2. root — of a plant
  3. game — wild animals
  4. tear — from crying
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. game — a match
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. root — the cause
  14. drill — the tool
  15. dip — to sink
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. tear — to rip
  20. bass — low music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. root — of a word
  23. rock — music
  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