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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. root — of a plant
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pop — soda
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. hand — help
  8. root — the cause
  9. rash — hasty
  10. root — of a word
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — to crush
  13. mine — for digging
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — music
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — an explosive

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