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 120 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: mine · firm · perch · root · charge · march · nail · present

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. root — of a word
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — decided
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. present — the time now
  10. root — the cause
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. firm — a company
  14. march — the month
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. present — there
  17. charge — a price
  18. mine — for digging
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. present — a gift
  21. perch — the fish
  22. root — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. nail — for a hammer

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