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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. cue — a signal
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. field — farmland
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. cue — for pool
  11. field — a subject
  12. tear — from crying
  13. root — of a word
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. content — the amount
  16. cue — a hint
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — a tool
  19. tear — to rip
  20. field — for sport
  21. root — of a plant
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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