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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. root — of a plant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. race — humankind
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. root — the cause
  10. race — a contest
  11. root — of a word
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. suit — to fit
  14. race — the arms race
  15. kid — child
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. suit — clothes
  18. kid — to tease
  19. chip — for betting
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitch — a sports field

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