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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a music group
  4. kid — child
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. club — a group
  8. root — of a plant
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. deal — to handle
  11. season — of the year
  12. root — the cause
  13. firm — steady
  14. board — to get on
  15. club — for golf
  16. firm — decided
  17. board — a committee
  18. season — in sport
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. firm — a company
  23. band — a ring
  24. kid — to tease

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