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 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. field — a subject
  3. bore — to drill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wake — a trail
  6. field — farmland
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ball — a great time
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ball — a dance
  16. kick — in football
  17. rule — a law
  18. field — for sport
  19. rule — government
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. root — the cause
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bass — the fish

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