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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — clothes
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wake — a trail
  6. suit — to fit
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. track — a song
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. shower — to wash
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. shower — rain
  20. fork — in a road
  21. root — of a word
  22. track — a path
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fork — a garden 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