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

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. root — of a plant
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. root — of a word
  5. plane — a tool
  6. court — of law
  7. court — of a king
  8. key — in music
  9. court — for sport
  10. key — the most important part
  11. foot — a measure
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. root — the cause
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kid — child
  22. bear — the animal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. safe — out of danger

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