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 · fall · bound · pit · scale · dip · chip · face

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fall — to drop
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to point toward
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. face — part of the head
  11. root — the cause
  12. scale — size or range
  13. fall — the season
  14. dip — to sink
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bound — certain
  19. face — to confront
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. scale — in music
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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