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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mark — a grade
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. kid — child
  17. net — for catching
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. net — after costs
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — to tease
  22. root — the cause
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. root — of a word

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