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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. spell — magic
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. tear — from crying
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. squash — to crush
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. stand — to bear
  14. root — of a word
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. spell — a short time
  21. squash — the sport
  22. root — of a plant
  23. spell — letters
  24. chair — a leader

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