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: pound · deal · root · land · mug · safe · trunk · suit

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. suit — in cards
  4. root — of a word
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mug — a face
  12. suit — to fit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mug — to rob
  15. root — the cause
  16. mug — a cup
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — clothes
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. land — to come down

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