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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — happening now
  7. dip — to sink
  8. current — electric
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. pass — a permit
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. root — of a plant
  19. current — of water
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. root — the cause
  23. stand — on your feet
  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