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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. chip — for betting
  3. staff — employees
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. staff — a stick
  7. firm — steady
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. firm — decided
  11. root — of a word
  12. firm — a company
  13. cell — in biology
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. root — the cause
  18. staff — employees

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