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 · mine · wave · foot · jam · safe · kid

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. track — a path
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. kid — child
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. track — a song
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — for digging
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. kid — to tease
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. root — of a word
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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