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

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spring — of water
  3. root — the cause
  4. ball — a dance
  5. band — a ring
  6. kick — in football
  7. root — of a word
  8. spring — the season
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rush — hurry
  19. root — of a plant
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mug — a cup
  23. band — a music group
  24. mug — a face

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