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: fine · can · coach · root · bank · scale · field · ground

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. scale — size or range
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — high quality
  5. scale — in music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — of a plant
  12. field — a subject
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bank — for money
  18. field — farmland
  19. root — the cause
  20. bank — of a river
  21. root — of a word
  22. ground — crushed
  23. field — for sport
  24. fine — a penalty

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