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: root · mate · roll · foot · temple · band · pass · saw

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. mate — a partner
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. root — of a plant
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mate — a friend
  7. band — a music group
  8. foot — a measure
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. root — of a word
  11. mate — to breed
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. band — a ring
  17. root — the cause
  18. roll — a cake
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pass — a permit
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. saw — the tool

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