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: coach · squash · bound · present · drill · fall · root · jam

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. fall — the season
  3. present — the time now
  4. fall — to drop
  5. drill — the tool
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. squash — to crush
  9. root — the cause
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. drill — a practice
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. squash — the sport
  18. present — there
  19. bound — obliged
  20. drill — army training
  21. present — a gift
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. root — of a word
  24. bound — tied together

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