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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. toast — bread
  4. root — the cause
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. root — of a word
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — what's left
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rest — a break
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — a permit
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wind — moving air
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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