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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cell — in biology
  3. root — of a plant
  4. shower — rain
  5. root — of a word
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. swing — in golf
  12. kick — in football
  13. swing — music
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. shower — to wash
  18. root — the cause
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bank — for money
  23. cell — a phone
  24. bank — for money

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