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: scale · pop · track · leaves · root · patient · mate · stock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. track — a path
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. root — the cause
  9. stock — goods
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — soda
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — of a word
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. root — of a plant
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pop — music
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stock — shares
  24. track — a song

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