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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. date — the fruit
  6. race — humankind
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. race — the arms race
  10. fall — the season
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. root — the cause
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fall — to drop
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — a loud noise

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